


An Escape Artist's Last Chance

by BlueStarOfTheSouth, Gage39



Series: Finding Home [1]
Category: DCU (Comics), Shazam! (2019), Shazam! | Captain Marvel (Comics)
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Don’t copy to another site, Family Bonding, Found Family, Genderfluid!Billy, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Internalized Transphobia, Klarion is a little chaos gremlin, Occasionally Turns Into A Chatfic, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Past Child Abuse, Self-Acceptance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-09
Updated: 2021-02-03
Packaged: 2021-03-10 11:06:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 31
Words: 80,856
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27969539
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlueStarOfTheSouth/pseuds/BlueStarOfTheSouth, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gage39/pseuds/Gage39
Summary: "I'm serious, Billy. You're going to juvie if this one doesn't pan out."“...you’re really serious.” Billy realized, open shock on his face for a moment before schooling his features again.“Yes, I am.” She stressed, hoping to get it through his thick head. She had exhausted all her options, all her favors, and this was the last chance the kid had. Either this family worked out, or he was going into juvie.She’d done what she could, found the absolute best family she could. She knew Billy, at least a little, and knew what he needed.If she was right, then the Vasquezes would, hopefully, be exactly what the boy needed.
Relationships: Billy Batson & Vasquez Family, Rosa Vasquez/Victor Vasquez
Series: Finding Home [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2062959
Comments: 294
Kudos: 111





	1. First Meetings

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hiya. Welcome to my (Blue's) latest fic, because I don't have ENOUGH ongoings (I have a problem...).
> 
> Anyway, nice to have you here, hope you enjoy the fic. Please note the tags, as they are relevant. Not so much in this chapter, but in later ones.
> 
> So, this would normally would be the time that I'd (Blue) plug my own server, but this time I decided to do something else. (https://discord.gg/C6jSt8FS96) this is the Rock of Eternity, a newer server that was made for Billy Batson related fanfic. Wander on by, have a chat. Both of us authors are on there if you want to chat!
> 
> Now, this fic takes a bit from the movie, a bit from the comics, a bit from what we invented or changed. So don't be too surprised if we take a few creative liberties along the way.

Emma Glover looked at the teenager that was escorted into her office. This would be the last time that he’d be brought here for this, no matter what happened next.

“Billy, nice to see you again.” She greeted the fifteen year old. The boy looked up from the floor, giving her the nasty look that she was expecting. He was always sour when he was brought in, despite her best efforts.

“Hello Emma.” He returned, sounding just as annoyed as he looked. “How’s the family?”

"Good. James' knee surgery went well and he should be back at work in a week or two. He said thanks for the get well card you sent." 

"Not a problem," Billy shrugged as he sat down in the available seat. "It's not  _ his  _ fault I keep getting stuck in crappy homes while I try to find my mom. It would be so much easier if I didn't have to keep running away to look for her."

Emma flinched slightly at the mention of the “crappy homes” that Billy occasionally was placed in. The last one had… not gone well. They’d been arrested, and Billy had vanished for a week with nothing but his ever present backpack.

Emma schooled her features, careful not to let the pity show as Billy despised that particular emotion, and sighed heavily. "You're under eighteen - you have to stay with an adult until then. I've found you a new home, they're great people. This is your last chance, you know that."

“Yeah, yeah, yeah. Like I haven’t heard that before.” He muttered. His skepticism wasn’t entirely unwarranted, to be fair. Billy had been given a fair number of supposed last chances, and yet there was always another one. She was responsible for that, at least in part, because she  _ knew _ Billy could be happy, having nearly been so once or twice before.

But there was always some hiccup, always some complication, and Emma always found another family that could try to help him.

"I'm serious, Billy. You're going to juvie if this one doesn't pan out."

“...you’re really serious.” Billy realized, open shock on his face for a moment before schooling his features again.

“Yes, I am.” She stressed, hoping to get it through his thick head. She had exhausted all her options, all her favors, and this was the last chance the kid had. Either this family worked out, or he was going into juvie.

She’d done what she could, found the absolute  _ best  _ family she could. She knew Billy, at least a little, and knew what he needed.

If she was right, then the Vasquezes would, hopefully, be exactly what the boy needed.

* * *

“So… I should probably tell you about Billy.” Emma began, starting the  _ second _ difficult Billy-related conversation of the day.

"This sounds ominous," Rosa joked.

“It’s my understanding that you’ve had experience with kids from… less than pleasant homes?” She asked, as if that very fact hadn’t been one of the requirements she had for this family.

"Yes?" Victor confirmed. "Our oldest was in an abusive home before and our youngest suffered from neglect."

“Billy’s last foster parents were arrested for child abuse.” Emma bluntly informed the two. “And unfortunately that is only the most recent, and thankfully extreme, example I can give of his past experiences.”

She tried, and thankfully far more homes that Billy was sent to were good than not, but the few bad ones had truly left their marks on the boy.

"How bad?" Rosa's face was pale and she sat up straight.

“Billy hasn’t opened up about it.” Despite the best efforts of a number of concerned people, herself included. “But there was some evidence of physical abuse when we finally found him.”

"What do you mean by 'finally found him'?" Victor wanted to know. 

“...Billy has a bad habit of running away from foster homes. He’s gotten quite good at not being found by the police. After the last family was arrested it became clear that he wasn’t there. He was picked up a week later picking pockets in a mall, halfway across the city.”

"Why does he run away?" Rosa asked. "Surely not every home was abusive."

“He wants to find his mother. He refuses to accept any substitute to her, no matter how good the home. He also refuses to accept the fact that, by all accounts… she abandoned him.” Not that Billy had actually  _ said _ that, he thought only the best of his biological mother. But, from what she’d managed to piece together, Emma was pretty sure that Billy had been abandoned.

"Oh," Rosa gasped, a hand flying to her mouth. "That poor boy."

“Billy  _ will _ try to leave, no matter how nice you are to him.” Emma told them. “And while I won’t pretend to tell you how to run your house, I do suggest taking measures to ensure that he doesn’t slip out in the middle of the night.”

"Like what?" Victor asked with trepidation. 

“He can pick locks.” Emma informed them. “He once got himself out of a straightjacket. One family owned an apartment on the sixth floor of their building. He climbed down the drain pipe.”

Billy had pulled off some pretty impressive “escapes”, to use the teenager’s word, considering his age and inexperience.

"How are we supposed to keep him then?" Rosa asked. "I'm not installing bars on the windows or locking him in his room at night."

“Billy might be tricky, but he’s predictable. He’ll try to run away the first night, at the first chance that he thinks will work. If you can stop  _ that _ , then he’ll wait. Usually a week or so, sometimes more. If you stop his first attempt, then you will have a week to try and convince him to stay.” It was, admittedly, a terrible plan. But it was better than nothing. This family had the best chance of all she’d considered in making Billy  _ want _ to stay.

Victor nodded. "I make no promises but we'll do our best," he promised. "We'll see if we can get the others to help too."

Emma nodded gratefully. "That's all I ask. This is his last chance. If he runs away again he's going to juvie, if they can hold him. I caught him going over the floor plan earlier. How he got ahold of it I'll never know."

Victor frowned in concern. "Juvie's no place for a kid, especially an abused one that's just trying to find his mother. Has he ever seen a therapist?"

Emma groaned.

“He bit the last one.” On the nose. And drew blood.

"Why?" Rosa asked after a moment.

"They wanted to know what was in his backpack and tried to take it from him. He's very protective of it. I suggest informing your kids not to touch it." That therapist had, since, been fired. Anyone dumb enough to try and steal from a patient, for no other reason than curiousity, was not someone that the they needed near abused kids.

"Good to know," Victor muttered. "Is there anything else we need to know?"

“Nothing too serious.” She assured them, before moving on to more innocent topics such as allergies, medical history, and the like. Before long they were done, and wrapping up the conversation.

Now for the hard part...

"So when can we meet him?" Rosa was eager to meet her newest, yet most troubled, child.

"He's waiting in the other room," Emma informed them. "Follow me. I would recommend you not touch him if you can help it. He's very jumpy."

Billy was exactly where she expected him to be: as far from the door as he could be without looking like he was avoiding people. His backpack was at his feet, easily within reach at all times.

“So, you’re my new wardens?” Billy asked. This was, once again, expected. Billy pushed people away, tried to make them not want him, so that they’d be less likely to look for him when he ran away.

"Foster parents," Emma corrected but he paid her no mind.

"So… do you have any other kids?” Billy asked the Vasquezes, looking them over. It pained Emma to see that look in his eye, to see that he was already trying to figure out if he could outrun them if they tried to stop him running away.

Hopefully the next time she saw him, and she did truly hope that she would see him again, that look would be replaced by something far less wary and calculating.

"Five," Rosa confirmed.

“Oh,” And Emma could already  _ hear _ the next question, the same one he asked whenever foster homes already had other kids in them, “Are they your real kids? Or did you shop for them too?”

"They're foster kids in name but we consider them our real children, the same we do with you," Rosa smiled, trying to look more friendly.

Billy simply hummed, grabbing his backpack and slinging it over his shoulder.

“So, what am I supposed to call you?” 

* * *

Billy looked at the house as he approached it, considering his options. He was pretty sure he could jump from the second floor without breaking his legs, so that might be his first option.

Entering the house showed that it was a nice place, cozy even. There were sounds of people all over, as the other kids moved about. He shifted his backpack a bit, making sure that he had one hand on a strap of it at all times, and tried not to show any obvious fear.

He trusted Emma, but she’d been wrong before. He couldn’t take any chances, not after last time. If anyone got his backpack, they might find… well, it was better if no one got his backpack.

"Kids," Victor called. "We're home and we brought Billy with us."

Billy had barely a moment before a small, loud, comet slammed into him. He froze in absolute terror when he realized that the thing that hit him was a girl, one that was hugging him.

“Um… hi?”

"Hi, Billy," she chirped. "I'm your new little sister Darla."

Yeah, no.

“Right.” He agreed, hoping that she’d let him go so he could leave. The upstairs window was sounding more and more alluring with every second. “So uh… I’ll just put my bag in my room?”

If they agreed, then that should be the perfect chance to get out of here before anyone did something stupid. Like decided that they actually  _ cared _ about him. Even if the window was locked it would at least afford him a brief respite from the girl.

Victor and Rosa exchanged worried glances then slowly nodded. "Of course, dear," Rosa said. "Come on, I'll show you where it is."

Billy nodded, disentangling himself from the small girl and following after Rosa. The walk up was mostly uneventful, with the most interesting thing was that there was a loose board on the walk up. Billy would have to remember it if he wanted to leave via the stairs.

"I hope you don't mind but you'll be sharing a room with Freddy. You can have the top bunk because he has trouble with the ladder," Rosa explained.

Billy bit back a groan. Roommates were tricky to work with, because it meant that there was someone in the same room while he was trying to escape, even if he tried it at two in the morning.

“It’s not a problem,” He assured her, knowing that he wouldn’t be here long enough for it to be more than an annoyance, “I can manage.”

"Excellent," she beamed. "I hope the two of you get along, Freddy's about your age. I gotta warn you though, he's really into superheroes. He can go on for  _ hours _ about them."

“Not a problem.” Billy repeated, looking at the door that was supposed to his room. His  _ shared _ room. Joy.

"Freddy?" Rosa knocked lightly on the door. "Can we come in?"

"Sure," came the muffled reply.

Entering the room Billy saw what Rosa had meant when she said Freddy had trouble with the ladder. The large crutch that the other boy picked up was, quite frankly, glaringly obvious.

“Hi.” Billy just had to wait until Rosa left, and then he could try and leave.

"Hey," Freddy grinned. "Nice to meet you. So the top bunk's yours, obviously."

"I'll let the two of you get acquainted," Rosa looked at Freddy meaningfully then slipped out of the room. 

Billy waited a moment, listening for the creak of the loose step, before he moved to the window. He’d have to be quick, before Freddy shouted that he was leaving, but he refused to stay here a second longer than he had to.

“Um… what are you doing?” The other boy asked, causing Billy to pause as he started climbing out the window. Billy looked back to see the confused, and slightly hurt, look on his face, before he steeled himself and continued moving.

“Leaving.” Was all he said, before shut the window behind him. Billy walked to the edge of the roof, considered his options, and then crouched down to grab the edge and lower himself down with some degree of safety.

It took a bit longer than he’d like, but the tradeoff was that his legs didn’t hurt too much when he was on solid ground. Billy smiled to himself as he hit the ground, waiting a moment to see if he’d been spotted, before he turned to leave.

Only to run straight into Victor, who was standing directly behind him.

"Shit," was all Billy said.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're both down in the comments if you want to chat. As long as you aren't being rude we're open to criticisms, thoughts, predictions, etc.
> 
> Also, we're up to writing Chapter 6, so we have a bit of a lead on this fic.


	2. Observations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mary frowned at the new kid, Billy, as he ate. He was slow, careful. He seemed to check every bit of food before he actually ate it, like he was worried that there was something wrong with it.
> 
> She wasn’t surprised, not really. She might not have known Billy’s story, but she knew the sort of kid that ended up with those habits and that look in their eye.
> 
> He’d been mistreated, badly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yo.
> 
> Okay, so, Billy has a scene in this chapter (shocking, I know) that is... a little confusing at times. This is by design. As you may notice, this fic has the "Genderfluid Billy" tag, and this is the first chapter that explores that. Billy also happens to be a little repressed (details to be revealed over time), and as such their pronouns are intentionally wrong.
> 
> Billy is actively trying to "self correct" their pronouns due to issues (note the "Internalized Transphobia" tag, and the "Past Child Abuse" tag). If this comes off wrong, offensive, or the like, please let us know. Blue reached out to a friend of his to check this, just to be safe, but it's entirely possible we missed something. The last thing we want to do is hurt anyone, so please let us know if there's ways we can avoid that.
> 
> Anyway, Rock of Eternity Server Link: (https://discord.gg/C6jSt8FS96), come on by if you want to chat.

Mary frowned at the new kid, Billy, as he ate. He was slow, careful. He seemed to check every bit of food before he actually ate it, like he was worried that there was something wrong with it.

She wasn’t surprised, not really. She might not have known Billy’s story, but she knew the sort of kid that ended up with those habits and that look in their eye.

He’d been mistreated, badly.

"Is everything okay, Mary?" Her mom asked worriedly. "You've hardly touched your food."

“Sorry, just a long day at school.” Mary smiled, making sure to eat a bit more. Not that it was hard, her mom was a great cook, she had just been a little distracted.

"Do you want a hug?" Darla asked. Hugs were her solution to every problem, even ones that she'd created. "I could give one to everybody."

Mary was positive she was the only one who had seen Billy flinch and she hastened to reassure her sister. "I appreciate the thought, but I'm fine. It's the weekend anyways so I don't have to worry about it for a day or two anyways."

"Okay," Darla nodded and went back to eating. 

"If you need help let us know," her dad added and Mary nodded.

"I will," she smiled then pretended to be fascinated by Freddy's rendition of the latest Batman sighting. 

Mary spent the rest of the night keeping an eye on Billy, seeing how he reacted to certain things. Loud noises didn’t seem to bother him  _ too _ much, so that was something good. He was clearly cautious about his food, but he did finish everything on his plate. He didn’t talk much, even when prompted he seemed to use as few words as possible to answer. And then there was his reaction to Darla’s offer of a hug.

So they had to be careful about physical contact, and maybe offering to let him help prepare meals would help him eat more. There wasn’t much she could do about the noise, the house tended to get a bit loud at the best of times, but she could maybe find a few ways to help coax him into more social interactions to get him to open up a bit more.

Slowly, they didn’t want to spook him.

Billy retreated to his new room quickly, nearly fleeing from the family at the first chance he was given. That was okay, Mary would start on him later, and she had more important matters to attend to first.

“Darla.” She flagged down her sister a bit later, knowing that Darla would need to be talked to first. The others were a bit older, a bit more willing to think things through. But Darla was perhaps the most emotional of them, the most willing to follow her heart, and act without thinking.

Of all of them, Darla may have been the most likely to hurt Billy by accident.

"Yes?" Darla was always willing to talk to one of her siblings.

"I know you like to give out lots of hugs and that's wonderful but you need to be careful about giving them to Billy."

Darla's face scrunched up. "But why? He's new so he needs lots of extra hugs."

Mary chuckled and conceded that her sister was correct. "I know but someone hurt him really bad not that long ago, and touching him might make him think that you're trying to do the same."

Darla's eyes widened and she shook her head vigorously. "I would never hurt him!"

"I know," Mary said gently, "but Billy's mind doesn't know that so be careful about that, okay? If nothing else make sure he knows what you're about to do."

"I can do that," Darla agreed, then bounced over to Eugene to give him a hug and talk about his video game characters. 

"You're very observant," Mom came to stand by her. "The social worker wouldn't go into much detail but she did tell us his last family got arrested."

Mary shrugged. "I'm familiar with the signs," was all she said then leaned into the warm arm wrapped around her shoulder.

* * *

Billy frowned as he sat on the top bunk of the bed,  _ his _ bed.

He wasn’t sure what to think of this new family. On the one hand: they were loud, obnoxious, and were far too sappy for his tastes.

But they’d also been… nice. Honestly, truly nice.

The parents had offered to help the kids with homework, had listened as they each talked about their day, had shown genuine care and affection to them all.

Even him.

It’d hurt to leave them, because he knew they’d be upset. Especially the youngest, who seemed to wear her heart on her sleeve. She’d probably cry when he left, would probably stay up at night being sad for him.

But her being sad for a little while, and she’d get over it and forget him eventually, was better than what would happen if they realized that he was a freak. It was better that he left on his own terms, so that he could continue to look for his mom, rather than waiting for them to find out that there was something wrong with him, and that they’d let that wrongness near their family.

And Billy was running short on time for that as well. While it was a bit random, he’d never managed to find a pattern at least, the long stretch of “Good Days” he’d had so far meant that sooner or later he was going to have a “Bad Day”. He was rolling the dice every day, and eventually his luck would have to run out. But he had to wait, a few more days until they let their guard down at least.

If he had a Bad Day then he’d just have to hide it, wouldn’t he?

"Are you planning another escape attempt?" Freddy asked as he came in and sat down on the bottom bunk. "Cuz seriously, dude, you weren't even here five minutes. Did we piss you off that much?"

Billy didn't answer and simply clutched his backpack even closer to his chest.

Freddy rolled his eyes. "Give us a chance, you might like us. Would that be such a bad thing? Would having a family be so bad?"

"I have a mom," Billy's words were sharp. "I just need to find her and then I'll have my  _ real _ family."

“...how long have you been looking for her?” Freddy called up, a bit quieter than before.

"...eleven years," Billy mumbled. 

“And how did you two get separated?” 

"I let go of her hand at the carnival," he admitted. "I let go for one second and when I looked up she was gone."

“...You’re still using your birth name, yeah?” The other boy checked, a strange note in his voice.

"Of course," Billy was insulted at the very thought of changing his name. His mother had given it to him, he could never change it.

“Then why haven’t the cops found you? Even my bio-dad, piece of shit that he is, filed a police report that had my name on it.”

"Um," Billy searched frantically for a reason. "She's in the Witness Protection Program so she had to change her name a lot."

“...Sounds interesting.” And that was the last Freddy spoke that night.

Billy waited until he was certain that Freddy was asleep before carefully opening his backpack. At the top was the notebook with his leads followed by a change of clothes and the little bit of money he had. At the bottom, wrapped in an old pair of underwear was his deep dark secret, the one that had caused a terrible beating at his last home.

The skirt was nothing fancy, just blue denim that was a little too big. The headband was purple (it wasn’t really his color but beggars couldn't be choosers after all) and the orange nail polish was almost empty. The last item was a slightly melted tube of soft pink lip gloss.

He took a deep breath and tenderly stroked the items. He couldn't use them, the likelihood of getting caught was too great and besides, only freaks actually followed through with what he was thinking. He knew he was a freak but, he couldn't let himself slide down that path anymore.

Especially not with Freddy literally less than ten feet away.

With that thought in mind he reluctantly put his stuff back in the backpack then went to sleep, still clutching the straps. 

* * *

One week. That had been what the two had given to convince Billy to stay with them. And while both of them had different plans towards that end, Rosa’s plans began on Saturday morning.

Billy was, unsurprisingly, up when she came downstairs. He was reading a notebook of some sort by the light that came in from the window by the kitchen table, his chosen seat located so that he could comfortably see the door without being too obvious.

Rosa smiled a bit at the sight, reminded of when they had brought their eldest home. Mary had done much the same thing at first, not wanting anyone to sneak up on her.

“Good morning Billy.” She called quietly, not wanting to wake the still mostly sleeping household.

Billy grunted but didn't say anything although his eyes followed her as she crossed the room to the cupboard and began pulling out a few pots and pans.

"I hope waffles are okay, it was Pedro's turn to pick out breakfast but if you want something else I can make it for you," she offered.

“Waffles are fine.” He replied, his voice pitched a bit higher than Rosa remembered last night. She also spied his fingers twitch slightly, seemingly at the sound of his own voice.

As she turned to prepare breakfast she remembered what they’d been told, about how Billy had been abused. Was he expecting her to reprimand him for speaking? And that was why he twitched? But then, why change his voice?

For the first time, and she suspected that it would be far from the last time, she wished she had more details about what had happened to Billy. It’d be so much easier to help him if she knew how’d he’d been hurt.

“Do you want to go out later?” She offered at some point, remembering her plan. They had clothes in Billy’s size, or ones that were close enough, so he could manage for a few days, but it would be better if they got him something new.

Her kids tended to accept that they were truly wanted after a bit of money was spent on them, especially if it was without prompting.

“Um… okay.” Rosa smiled, even as she noted that Billy’s voice was still pitched strangely. She didn’t mention it though, knowing better than to push just yet. There’d be time for that later, after some trust had been built.

Breakfast went well although Darla had to be shushed so she wouldn't ask about Billy's voice which had gained him more than a few strange looks. He ate more than he had at supper, obviously comfortable with eating something he had seen prepared.

Rosa made a note to ask if Billy wanted to learn to cook. It would be a good excuse to get him into the kitchen where he could reassure himself that the food was safe.

Everyone's plans for the day mostly seemed to be centered around being lazy, and as such no one was too interested in coming with her to get Billy some new clothes.

Once the kitchen had been cleaned Rosa convinced a semi-reluctant Billy to get in the car with her, allowing him to bring his backpack but on the stipulation that it stayed in the car so no one would think they were shoplifters.

Billy had looked briefly torn, but had left the backpack behind in the end.

The boy was quiet as they walked, responding when prompted but not truly engaging. Not that Rosa was surprised, he was probably still upset that he had been caught the night before. But she counted the little interactions as progress, and she managed to get him to respond enough to pick out at least a few clothes that he liked.

The first hint that something was… not  _ wrong _ , but certainly unexpected about the newest addition to her home came when they happened to come to a stop outside an aisle of girl’s clothes. It should have been nothing, a brief pause as Rosa tried to remember where things had been moved following the renovations that the mall had undergone last month, but then she noticed it.

Billy was just… staring at the clothes. He was looking longingly at a red shirt with a gold star in the center. His eyes also lingered over the makeup section before moving onto the fancy dresses. He looked...sad and only tore his eyes away when she spoke to him.

"See anything you like?" She asked softly and he shook his head.

"N-no," he stammered, blushing. "Nothing at all."

He didn’t give her a chance to say anything else, turning on his heel and marching off further into the mall. Or more importantly, Rosa suspected, away from the clothes.

Well. That was interesting.

* * *

By the time they returned home Billy was more than eager to jump out the window again. Screw getting caught again, she'd slipped up at the mall and now...darn it.  _ He'd  _ slipped up, not she,  _ never _ she.

Billy took a moment, breathing heavily as  _ he _ tried to reorganize  _ his _ head. It was hard, especially when there had been so many cute, tempting skirts at the mall, but Billy would manage.

Somehow, someway he always managed. Tomorrow would be a "good day", hopefully, and this would all be over.

Until next time at least, but hopefully Billy was back on the streets by then, and no one would be able to see just how much of a freak he was.

At least he’d spent a lot of time away from the house, so there was less chance of infecting the other kids here with his freakishness.

Another good thing had come out of their little excursion, he had some new winter clothes which he would need when he was on his own again. One less thing to worry about when the time came.

“You okay, Billy?” Rosa asked, and Billy hesitated for a moment before speaking.

“Yeah, I’m fine.” Her voice,  _ his _ voice was wrong. Even when Billy tried to make it sound higher, less like a boy’s voice, it just sounded wrong. Even her-  _ his body _ felt all wrong. Too tight, all the muscles in the wrong places, and more than once Billy wanted to simply lay down and wait until his body felt right again.

Rosa looked skeptical but nodded anyways. "If you say so. I can make us sandwiches if you're hungry and Freddy will show you where you can put your clothes. We made him clean out the closet and dresser. If you need more room just make him move some more of his stuff."

"Okay," Billy mumbled, not really looking forward to seeing the other kids anytime soon. It was hard enough keeping his head straight when he was alone, or it was just one on one. But, with more people, there was just more chance for Billy to fuck up and out hers-himself as a freak.

If Rosa noticed his lack of enthusiasm she didn't say anything. Instead she ushered him into the house where Pedro, Eugene and Darla were all sitting on the couch. Pedro and Eugene seemed to be focused on the television but the second Darla saw them she lit up and ran towards them.

"Mommy!" She shrieked and hugged Rosa tightly then turned to Billy. "Mary said I have to be careful about hugging you," she informed him, "so I made you this." She presented a long roll of paper that had been cut on the shape of hands. "It's a non-touching hug," she explained. "Just wrap it around you and it'll be like I'm hugging you."

Billy looked at the gift, considering it. It was, to be honest, not the best made thing. He could see the outline where she’d drawn around her hand in a few places, a few of the edges were deformed from where she hadn’t cut it properly, and…

And dammit, he really needed something like this after today.

"Why would I want this?" He forced himself to ask, knowing that she had put a lot of time and thought into it. It was, in a way, very sweet and something he really wanted. But he couldn't get close to her, it was safer for her if they didn't interact. 

He marched past her, making his way to his shared room. He wasted no time in climbing the ladder, and throwing himself against the pillows as he breathed hard.

Ten minutes later he would realize that he still had the papercraft hands, and despite his actions hadn’t actually damaged them at all.

When Billy did realize that, he carefully folded them up and put them in one of the empty pockets of his backpack.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Same as last time: We're in the comments if you want to talk about the fic. Criticisms, comments, things you loved, etc. As long as you aren't being a jerk, we're happy to have you.
> 
> It's about now that you're going to start noticing Gage and Blue's like of smart people that are really caring. The Vasquez family is, by and large, observant enough to notice Billy's problems, and caring enough to try and help.


	3. Freakish Thoughts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Billy spent the rest of the day in his room, not speaking to anyone as he tried to center her - his thoughts. It was difficult though, fighting the urge to pull the stuff out of his backpack and use it.
> 
> "I'm not a freak," he whispered to himself. "I'm not a freak." He was though, he knew he was. Only freaks wanted to dress like a girl and wear makeup.
> 
> "I'm a boy and boys wear jeans and t-shirts. They don't wear skirts and makeup. They like monster trucks and football, not shopping and getting their nails done."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again, I want to point to the "Internalized Transphobia" tag, because Billy isn't in a good place for a lot of this fic.
> 
> And, to reiterate: Billy's pronouns are intentionally wrong, due to Billy trying to deny it all (see: the summery of this chapter).
> 
> Rock of Eternity Server Link (https://discord.gg/C6jSt8FS96), for more Billy Batson.

There was silence after Billy left, and for a moment Freddy debated taking off after him. But, luckily he was stopped by someone smarter than himself.

"It's not your fault Darla." Rosa promised. "He's just scared."

"Scared?" Darla looked confused. "He seemed mad."

"You know how Eugene's characters use swords and shields to defend themselves? Well Billy's armor is acting mad. He wants to make you upset so that when he tries to run away again we won't go looking for him."

"But why would he run away? This is a great family," Darla protested.

"Because he wants to find his mom," Rosa explained. "He thinks she's out there, looking for him, and he won't stop until then."

" _ Is _ she looking for him?" Eugene paused the TV long enough to ask.

Rosa shook her head. "I don't think so, but he refuses to give up."

"He's also scared," Mary this time, "He's been hurt before, and he's scared that he'll be hurt again. So he tries to scare you away, so you can't get close enough to hurt him."

"Oh," Darla's eyes widened. "That's sad, why would anyone hurt him? That's just mean."

"It is," Rosa agreed. "Some people think it's fun to hurt those weaker than them."

"Some people don't need a reason." Freddy tells her. He's had it better than most, he knows that, but even he had been in a few bad homes with people that were just plain mean for no reason that he could understand. 

"Like the Breyers," Darla said triumphantly, referring to the bullies that attended their school.

"Exactly. Billy had someone like the Breyers at one of his old homes, and now he's scared. He'll learn, you just have to be patient with him." Rosa agreed, although she gave a brief dark look at the names of the bullies.

"Okay," Darla grinned. "I'll be extra nice to him from now on."

"I appreciate the enthusiasm but maybe tone it down just a little," Mary cautioned. "You can still spook him."

"Leave him alone for a while, I don't think he's having a very good day. Why don't you go back to what you were doing? I need to talk to Victor." Freddy watched as she set off, thinking about what he could do to help.

* * *

"Hey, sweetie," Victor was looking through the bills. "How'd the shopping trip go?"

"It was...interesting," she perched on the edge of the desk.

Victor raised an eyebrow. "Even more interesting than his voice this morning? It was really high-pitched."

"Yes."

"So what happened?" He turned and gave her his full attention. 

Rosa hesitated. "It might not be anything, but he seemed  _ really _ interested in the girl's clothing."

"Really?" Victor frowned. "That’s unusual."

"And when I pointed it out he got really upset and stormed off," Rosa explained.

Victor thought about it for a moment then asked, "Do you think he's trans?"

Rosa shrugged. "I'm not sure," she admitted. "Even if he is I'm not sure confronting him is a good idea. We should get him used to being here first, see if he'll open up to us on his own. If it seems like he's getting worse then we'll say something."

"If you think that's a good idea I'll go along with it. I just hope that one day he feels comfortable coming to us with this."

"Agreed. Maybe one day he'll even tell us what happened at his last home."

* * *

Billy spent the rest of the day in his room, not speaking to anyone as he tried to center her -  _ his _ thoughts. It was difficult though, fighting the urge to pull the stuff out of his backpack and use it.

"I'm not a freak," he whispered to himself. "I'm not a freak." He was though, he knew he was. Only freaks wanted to dress like a girl and wear makeup.

"I'm a boy and boys wear jeans and t-shirts. They don't wear skirts and makeup. They like monster trucks and football, not shopping and getting their nails done."

He spent  _ hours _ repeating that mantra, trying to ignore how  _ wrong _ his body felt, how empty his chest felt and how heavy his muscles were. It felt like he was being crushed and he  _ hated _ it.

It was late when Freddy cautiously poked his head in. "Hey, uh, Billy? Supper's ready, Rosa sent me to get you."

As if on cue his stomach rumbled and Billy was reminded he hadn't eaten since breakfast. He weighed his options but slowly, reluctantly decided to go eat. He was having trouble thinking straight, maybe things would start to make sense after he ate. 

"I'm coming," her-  _ his _ voice was still high-pitched and Freddy eyed him strangely as he climbed down the ladder.

"You can take your jacket off," Freddy told him. "We can always turn up the heat."

Billy shook his head. The jacket was the only thing keeping the wrongness of his body hidden away where no one could see it. It was an added layer of protection, one he didn't intend to give up.

Freddy didn't comment, choosing instead to rattle on about a movie he and the others had watched earlier that day. Billy stayed silent, giving the occasional nod or grunt to show that he was listening. 

Billy flushed a little when he realized that everyone was staring at him. He had almost made it to his seat when Darla appeared in front of him and he couldn't stop the slight flinch. Rosa had clearly seen it and was frowning, worry in her dark eyes.

"Hi, Billy," Darla grinned.

"What do you want now?" Billy winced inwardly at his tone but reminded himself that it was for the best if she stayed away. He couldn't handle it if he infected the chipper girl with his freakishness.

Unfortunately Darla didn't seem deterred and kept talking. "I know you didn't really mean what you said earlier so I just wanted to let you know that I forgive you."

Billy's heart dropped. Crap. He hadn't expected this. Of course Darla was kind hearted enough to forgive someone without an apology.

Fortunately she didn't seem to expect a response as she skipped back to her seat. Billy was still a little stunned as he too sat down. 

* * *

Despite their best attempts Billy stayed quiet through dinner, giving monosyllabic answers to every question. That didn't stop them though, they were determined to make Billy feel at home so he would be less likely to try and run away again.

As soon as dinner was over, however, Billy wasted no time in retreating to his room again, leaving behind several worried people.

I'll go talk to him," Victor promised, even if he wasn’t entirely sure what he’d actually say when he got there.

The walk up the stairs didn’t take too long, and he was careful to step onto the creaky step so that Billy could hear him coming (there was a reason they’d never fixed that thing after all). But, soon enough, he was outside the door to Freddy and Billy’s room.

“Billy, can I come in?” He asked, knocking on the door. After a moment he heard a muttered acceptance, and made his way inside. “Are you okay?”

“...Fine.” He’d noticed it that morning, had noticed it again just moments before while eating, but Billy’s voice was still pitched strangely, higher than normal. Once again his mind went back to what he’d been told of the shopping trip, and his original theory on the matter.

Girlish was likely what Billy was going for, if Victor’s theory held true, but he (she?) hadn’t quite hit the mark. It was close, may even fool those that hadn’t heard Billy’s voice before, but to someone that had talked to Billy before? It just sounded a bit off.

“You know, there’s a lot of after school clubs,” He offered as he sat on the lower bunk, the words coming out of his mouth before he had thought them through, “There’s some pretty good stuff there.”

“Oh yeah?” To most the voice coming from the top bunk would have sounded dismissive, but after five foster kids Victor had learned to hear the veiled interest in Billy’s voice.

“Yeah. The drama club, for example, is still managed by my old drama teacher.”

“He must be pretty old.” Victor didn’t even react to the jab, safe in the knowledge that Billy was just lashing out. He wasn’t quite sure why, not yet, but he was confident that was what they were doing.

“He is,” Victor agreed, “He’s also a bit of a stickler for perfection.”

“I don’t want to join the drama club.” Billy asserted, the irritation in their voice much more genuine.

“Just thought you might be interested. Some of my clearest memories of school are doing the vocal exercises that he insisted on.” That wasn’t even a lie. Victor could honestly say he couldn’t remember half his classmates’ names, but he could remember those vocal exercises with crystal clear clarity.

“...vocal exercises?” Billy’s voice was smaller, and Victor could hear the confusion in Billy’s voice. As well as the tiny bit of hope that was hidden there as well.

“Yep. I wasn’t always the best at them, but I can remember that some of the other kids could really change their voices after those lessons.” Again: completely true.

“...I’ll think about it.”

“Sounds good,” And with that he rose, making his way to the door. He paused though, a thought coming to him, and he couldn’t help but say one more thing before he went back downstairs, “You know, we’re pretty accepting in this family. You nearly have to be when you take in so many foster kids. If you ever need help with anything, we’re here for you.”

It was a bit more blatant than he’d intended when he’d set out to talk to Billy, but sometimes the direct method worked best.

“Goodnight Billy.”

“...Goodnight Victor.” The voice was quiet, and he nearly didn’t hear it as he walked away, but the words brought a smile to Victor’s lips.

Maybe they had a chance after all.

* * *

Billy frowned at the ceiling of his room, considering what he’d been told.

There was the absolute terrifying part, where Victor had all but admitted that he knew that Billy was a freak, but then… he didn’t care? Had even offered to help Billy, had told him about that drama club, with the vocal exercises that might help him not hate the sound of her own voice on Bad Days.

And then, at the end… Billy so desperately wanted to believe that it was real, that he could talk to them about being a freak and that they would honestly help him, but he couldn’t ignore the voice that told him that it was a bad idea.

They could hurt him, it whispered, could throw him out into the streets, or into juvie.

This was why he hated being placed with nice families, they always made it so hard to leave. He wanted to leave, because he couldn’t live with himself if he brought his freakishness to such nice people, and he had to keep looking for his mom, but he just wanted to stay because he was  _ so tired _ …

He was so tired of carrying all of this alone. So tired of sleeping in abandoned buildings, and picking pockets. So tired of looking for his mom, who… well, even he had to admit that Freddy had a point about her not filing a police report.

Billy grit his teeth, biting back all the emotions that he could. He felt like he was drowning sometimes, and not just on Bad Days. Drowning in hurt, and anger, and confusion. He just wanted to  _ scream _ some days, to break down and cry.

But he couldn’t, because he was scared that if he did then he would never stop.

As he curled up and tried to get some sleep, his mind couldn’t help but remind him of Freddy’s words. Why hadn’t she looked for him? Why hadn’t she told the police to find him? It couldn’t have been that hard to tell them what his name was, where he’d last been seen…

Had she known he was a freak? Was that why she-

No. No, his mom  _ hadn't  _ abandoned him. There was a reason why she hadn't looked for him, there had to be. If she didn't want him, if she didn't love him, then that meant there was no hope for him, that no one would  _ ever _ love him, that he’d wasted  _ eleven years _ of his life running away from possible happiness, and he couldn't bear that thought.

Billy was so fucking tired…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always: Comments are open. Leave love, leave criticisms, leave a simple "hello", it's all good.
> 
> Next time: Theft, Tears, And New Words!


	4. New Words

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “-'m not a freak, 'm not," Freddy frowned at the words, nearly convinced that he’d misheard them. Because Billy was a lot of things: angry, determined, a bit rude, but he wasn’t a freak of any sort.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More dysphoria and suppression ahead, but the start of Billy finding some acceptance.
> 
> Okay, this is where I really should start saying this: the narration is from a character's point of view, this means that in some scenes the narration refers to Billy as "he/him" despite Billy having a "Bad Day", as they call it. This is intentional on our part, it's not malicious on the part of the characters, it's supposed to be them not knowing that they should correct themselves. In future chapters they do correct themselves the second they learn they have to.
> 
> Hope that explanation helps.
> 
> Also, Billy's pronouns are a bit confusing in this chapter. Our logic was that, due to Billy doing something that they consider "feminine", they accidentally refer to themselves as "she/her" more often. This isn't Billy being self-accepting, this is just Billy not putting as much effort into "self correcting" at the time.
> 
> (https://discord.gg/C6jSt8FS96) Rock of Eternity link, for anyone wanting more Billy Batson.

Freddy was awoken by a sound that was, unfortunately, quite familiar in the Vasquez house, even if he wasn’t used to it coming from his own room: someone having a nightmare.

He frowned for a moment in confusion, wondering if one his brothers had stolen the top bunk again, before he remembered that he actually had a real roommate now. As he sat up, if only to grab his crutch so he could poke Billy with it and wake him up, he could hear what could best be described as whimpers coming from the top bunk.

“-'m not a freak, 'm not," Freddy frowned at the words, nearly convinced that he’d misheard them. Because Billy was a lot of things: angry, determined, a bit rude, but he wasn’t a  _ freak _ of any sort.

Crutch finally in hand Freddy lifted himself to his feet, looking up at where the other boy slept, and thought for a moment. He couldn’t leave Billy like this, but would it be better to go get his parents first? They might be able to handle this better than he could.

In the end he decided to simply handle it himself, seeing as how he was already here.

“Billy, wake up.” He quietly called, bracing himself and using his crutch to jab at the bottom of the top bunk. When he didn’t get a reaction he did it again, briefly reconsidering getting some help. But just as he was about to give up he heard Billy give a small yelp.

“...what?” Came the tired, and irritated, voice from the darkness above him. 

"Dude, you were having a nightmare," Freddy called. "Wanna talk about it?"

“No. Thanks for waking me up, but I don’t want to.” Well, he did say thanks. Freddy supposed that had to count for  _ something _ at least.

"If you're sure," personally Freddy always felt better when he talked about his but to each his own. Billy clearly didn't feel comfortable talking about it so Freddy decided to leave it for now. Maybe he should figure out a way to mention it to his parents?

“...sorry if I woke you up.” Billy called down, his voice hushed. As Freddy moved back to his own bed, intent on getting some more sleep, he could hear Billy moving about, followed by the sound of a zipper. Billy’s backpack, which he refused to go anywhere without, by the sound of it.

He could hear Billy moving things in the backpack, clearly searching for something in the dark. Eventually, the sound stopped, and Freddy was treated to a few moments of silence. But, just as he was starting to nod off again, Billy spoke.

“Did you hear anything? When I was asleep?” Now that Freddy was actually paying attention, he noted that Billy was still putting on that weird voice. He considered asking about it, but he knew well enough from his other siblings that would probably be a bad idea.

Freddy wasn’t mean enough to try poking at what may be some kind of coping mechanism. Not at this hour of the night at least. 

"Not really," he lied. He knew better than to ask about nightmares, they were sore subjects and he wasn't skilled enough to be of any help. His mom and dad were better equipped and he could easily tell them before breakfast so they could talk to Billy privately.

“...good.” Was all Billy had to say on the matter. He could hear more shuffling from above him, followed by the sound of the zipper again. He guessed that Billy had found whatever he was looking for, and had put it back for the night. 

This time there was no more noise and Freddy quickly fell back asleep and when he opened his eyes it was to sunlight shining through the window.

* * *

Billy woke up early, she always did. She scowled at the memory of the night before and gingerly touched her ribs. They were still sore but the bruises were fading and her stuff was still in her backpack so everything was okay.

Well, until she tried to move at least. She,  _ he _ hadn’t noticed it at first, but evidently s- _ he _ was still having one of his Bad Days, because that movement alerted him to how his body still felt wrong.

Billy took a few moments to simply lie there, trying to sort his head out. It was one of her,  _ his _ worse days by the feel of it, as he could all but hear the skirt that was buried in his backpack calling to him. He wanted to wear it, to simply stop caring and put it on, but… but people would see.

But… what if she did something different? Something that wasn’t obvious? Surely that would help shut up the voice in his head a bit. Something small, that no one would see, that would work. Maybe. Hopefully.

He could do his toes up a bit, that would work! Then he could just wear some socks!

He pulled the nail polish out of his backpack, scowling when he saw the nearly empty bottle. There wasn't enough to do his toenails but maybe...

Maybe she could get a bit more.

There were other girls in the house, one of them was bound to have a little extra. Surely they wouldn't notice one little bottle missing.

Billy couldn’t bring herself to steal from Darla, not after the paper-hug that was still packed away in his backpack, but… but Mary wouldn’t miss just  _ one _ , would she? And even if she missed it, she could just buy another. She was practically an adult after all, she could afford to replace it.

Confident now that she had a plan Billy grabbed her backpack and quietly climbed down the ladder. Freddy was still asleep so she quietly tiptoed out of the room, careful to avoid the squeaky board. Mary's room was downstairs, near Victor’s office.

Mary slept with her door open and Billy could see her hair splayed across the pillows. He crept in, making a beeline to her dresser where he could see a row of nail polish and makeup.

There appeared to mostly be reds and pinks with a few purples thrown in. The lipsticks were in the same color and he forced himself to focus only on the nail polish, lipstick was far too obvious and it couldn't be concealed.

Not willing to wait any longer, not when he was so close, he hastily grabbed the first bottle he saw: a bright neon pink that had probably come from Darla.

He turned to leave only to see Mary sitting up in bed, frowning at him.

"What are you doing in my room?" 

* * *

"Hey, Mom?"

Rosa turned from the stove and smiled at Freddy who looked nervous. "What's wrong, sweetheart? Did you have another nightmare?"

Freddy shook his head. "No, but Billy did. He was mumbling something about a freak, and I thought maybe you should know."

"Thank you," Rosa hugged her son. Since he was disabled Freddy had been even more determined to do things for himself and had only recently started asking for help. The fact that he had come to her meant a lot and she told him so.

"I want in on this," Victor wrapped his arms around the two. "So what did I miss?"

"We'll talk later," Rosa promised. They could discuss it when no one else was around, especially considering her and Victor's theories regarding their newest child. Billy's words only served to cement her conviction that he was hiding something big.

Victor nodded, showing her that he understood then guided Freddy to the table so they could get the silverware and plates out while she finished breakfast before the rest of their hoard wandered in.

* * *

Mary couldn’t help but be confused at the sight of Billy, because… she didn’t peg him for a pervert, or a thief, or whatever it was he was here for.

“What are you doing in my room?” She asked again, watching as Billy flinched back at the sound of her voice. She spotted him sneak something into his pocket, a bottle of lipstick or nail polish by the look of it, and there was clear fear settling on his face.

“I-I-… um-…” He stuttered, his breath speeding up as he scrambled for an answer.

“Billy, breath.” She told him, rising up to move close to him. The last thing she wanted was for him to have a panic attack, and that was clearly where he was headed. She knelt down in front of him, breathing in a slightly exaggerated manner to demonstrate what she wanted him to do.

The sheer panic and terror on Billy’s face banished her concerns that he was here for anything  _ too _ bad. He was too scared at being caught, too frightened at the possibility whatever happened next to try and steal from her just because he was acting out.

“It’s okay, I’m not mad,” Mary promised, trying to calm him down. It seemed to be working, as Billy’s breath was evening out a bit, “Now, what are you doing here?”

“I-I just… just wanted t-to borrow something.” He tried, backing away slightly. His eyes darted to the door for a moment, before looking back to her. Taking the hint, intentional or not, Mary backed up a bit and made sure that Billy had a clear shot to the door. If he wanted to leave, she wouldn’t leave him, and until then she wouldn’t crowd him.

“While I was asleep?” She prodded. Normally she’d be happy to let her parents deal with the new kid acting up, only stepping up if she was needed. But Billy had brought this to her, and she wanted a bit more information before she alerted anyone else of this. “What did you take anyway?”

“Ju-just some nail polish, I promise!” Billy rushed to reassure her, showing the bottle of pink nail polish to her.

“And why’d you want it?” Mary pressed. She was being a bit more direct than she usually would be, and under normal circumstances she would be much more careful not to scare a new member of the family, but she took people stealing from her very seriously.

Billy bit his lip then reluctantly whispered, "To use." His voice was still high-pitched even though he was clearly scared. 

"Use?" Mary repeated then her eyes widened.  _ "Oh." _

"I-I c-can't help it," Billy cried, looking near tears. "No matter what I do or think I still want to use it. I know I'm a freak, but I can't make the thoughts stop!"

Mary couldn't help herself, he was starting to cry and she impulsively threw her arms around him. "You're not a freak, Billy," she whispered fiercely. "There's nothing wrong with you, I  _ promise _ ."

"But," Billy was stiff but he (or was it  _ she _ ?) didn't push her away so Mary kept holding him.

"I don't know who called you that but you're not. There's nothing wrong with wearing nail polish, or makeup, or any of that stuff."

Billy didn't say anything but kept crying so Mary rubbed his back until the tears finally slowed and he moved back, keeping his eyes locked on the floor.

"Let me see it," she held out her hand and Billy reluctantly handed the bottle to her. "This is  _ so _ not your color." She surveyed her bottles then handed him a dark red. "This'll go better with your skin tone."

“No one was meant to see it.” Billy muttered, still not looking at her. Billy suddenly froze for a moment, before looking back up at Mary in a panic. “Please don’t tell anyone!”

Before he could work himself back up Mary smiled warmly and said, "I promise I won't tell anyone. But I really think you should tell Rosa and Victor - they won't judge you."

Billy shook his head in denial. "No," he said urgently.

"Okay, okay. But can I at least let them know that I know what you're hiding so that they won't be so worried?" She might not actually know in detail what was wrong, but she could still reassure her parents that Billy had  _ someone _ that he could confide in.

Billy blinked. "They're worried about me?" He looked surprised, confused, and happy all at once.

"Of course they are," Mary smiled sadly.

After a long moment Billy slowly nodded. "I guess you can tell them that," he mumbled. 

Mary beamed at him. "If you ever want to talk my door is always open but please ask before taking my makeup. Although, I have to ask: are you a girl?"

This time she got a pause, as Billy seemed to give the question genuine thought, before an awkward shrug. "I'm… I’m not really sure," he quietly admitted. "Some days I feel like one, and some days I feel like a boy."

Mary nodded. Well, that explained the voice at least, and why Billy hadn’t had it on Friday night. "You sound like you're genderfluid."

Once again Billy froze, mouthing the word a few times in surprise.

“There… there’s a word for it?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gage and Blue both really like people that are supportive, so none of the Vasquezes will be ever be anything but supportive and helpful concerning Billy being genderfluid. About other things? They're human, so they are fallible (especially when the whole "magical powers" thing happens), but Billy is only getting love and support from their new family.
> 
> Next time: more acceptance, family bonding, and gifts!


	5. Another Step Forward

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Billy considered going in, taking a seat and actually watching the movie with the others, instead of just lurking in the door like a weirdo.
> 
> But that would mean sitting next to the other teens, and possibly talking to them, and that meant that they could notice that he was still having a Bad Day. And while Mary might not care, and she promised that no one else would care, he was still scared of people realizing he was a freak.
> 
> No, wait, he had a word for what he was now. Mary said that he was “Genderfluid”, and had asked him to stop calling himself a freak.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More acceptance ahead!
> 
> Rock of Eternity link, for those that want more Billy Batson: (https://discord.gg/C6jSt8FS96)

“So, what’s wrong, Mary?” Victor asked as he, Rosa, and their eldest walked into the office after breakfast.

“So, Billy and I had a…  _ talk _ this morning.” Mary told them when the three of them had moved far enough away from the door to at least make any eavesdroppers put in some effort.

“Oh?” He prompted, wondering what had happened.

“I had a talk about Billy this morning as well, but it sounds like yours was more interesting.” Rosa noted.

“With Freddy?” Victor checked, remembering that he had seen the two of them hugging that morning.

“Yeah, he said that Billy had a nightmare, and that he was talking in his sleep.” Rosa explained, and even Mary looked interested.

“What did he say?” She asked.

“According to Freddy? Billy said something about calling himself a freak.” Once again Victor frowned at the thought of the newest member of the household. He wished that he knew what had happened to Billy, if only so that he could better help the kid.

“Makes sense.” Mary muttered, causing both parents to turn to her in surprise.

“Oh? And why would Billy calling himself a freak make sense?” Victor asked, a hint of warning in his voice. He knew his daughter better than to think she’d call Billy that, but he couldn’t help the small spark of protectiveness that had surged up briefly.

“...I promised Billy that I wouldn’t say.” Mary confessed.

"So you know what's going on with him," Victor confirmed.

Mary nodded. "He made me promise not to tell you, but I just wanted to let you guys know that he has someone to talk to. I only found out by accident," she hastened, as if to assure her parents, not wanting them to think Billy didn't trust them. Victor knew that he didn’t, but he probably didn't trust her completely either if she had to find out by accident.

"I'm glad he has someone to talk to," Rosa sighed in relief. "I just wish I knew so I could help him."

Mary hesitated. "There is one thing you can do. It might help if Billy had his own room. I'm not sure he feels comfortable rooming with someone." 

“Well, there’s the guest room?” It wouldn’t take much work to transfer Billy to there, as they just had to move a few odds and ends that had been put in there and had never been taken out. After that it would just take a lick of paint, maybe some new curtains, and they could get Billy into it. “He could move tomorrow if he didn’t want to wait for a new coat of paint.”

"That would probably be for the best," Mary agreed. "I think he would be more comfortable."

“Mary,” Rosa chipped in, “While I know you promised, and I expect you to keep that promise, but does Billy need a place to sleep, or does he need a place to be safe?”

Mary's eyes widened and she shook her head rapidly. "As far as I know he just needs a place to sleep."

“Then I’ll look into getting that stuff moved.” Victor promised, grimacing a little at the prospect. Despite the fact that Billy evidently needed a room of his own, and he was more than happy to give it, he was  _ not _ looking forward to cleaning out the guest room.

Eugene called the cupboard in there the Closet of Doom for a reason after all.

Maybe he could make it a family bonding exercise... 

* * *

Billy stood in the doorway to the living room, looking at the television. It was showing some science fiction movie, and it looked pretty good from what he’d gathered from where he’d been watching from the door.

For five minutes.

Billy considered going in, taking a seat and actually watching the movie  _ with _ the others, instead of just lurking in the door like a weirdo.

But that would mean sitting next to the other teens, and possibly talking to them, and that meant that they could notice that he was still having a Bad Day. And while Mary might not care, and she promised that no one else would care, he was still scared of people realizing he was a freak.

No, wait, he had a word for what he was now. Mary said that he was “Genderfluid”, and had asked him to stop calling himself a freak.

And he liked Mary, she had comforted him while he cried, and had promised not to tell anyone, so… so he could at least try to use the word she’d given him.

There's no telling how long Billy would have stood there if Eugene hadn't said something. 

"Are you going to watch it with us or not? It's just weird you standing there and watching us."

"Yeah," Pedro agreed. "Sit down."

Billy flushed but forced himself to walk forward and sat in the lone chair, putting as much distance between them as possible. 

"I love this movie," Eugene grinned. "It's so cool."

"It looks interesting," Billy inwardly cringed when his voice still came out as high-pitched. Maybe he should join the drama club so he could learn to fully change it so it sounded more natural, like Victor suggested. 

It’s not like it could make him sound  _ worse _ .

"It is," Eugene was nice enough to ignore his voice. "It's the first in a trilogy."

Billy brightened. "Trilogy?" That sounded like a good way to spend her day,  _ their _ day, they mentally corrected. Mary had known the correct pronouns and had wrangled a promise to try and use them even if it was just in their head when they felt different.

Billy couldn’t bring themselves to use “she”, so “they” would have to do.

Pedro and Eugene shared triumphant glances. "Yep," Pedro said. "You can watch it with us."

"Awesome," Billy grinned and got comfortable. They could do their nails later after a shower. Mary had recommended using a blow dryer to dry their nails so the polish wouldn't get all over their socks and raise suspicion.

The movie was good and, to their surprise, Billy enjoyed hanging out with their "brothers" as Freddy had joined them halfway through and spent the rest of it arguing over whether not it was something that could actually happen. (Freddy said yes, citing Superman for aliens existing, but Billy hoped not, alien invasions didn't sound fun.)

They were planning on starting the second installment when Victor came in with the announcement that he wanted to do some family bonding. Apparently the closet in the guest room was a bit full and Victor wanted some help moving it to the attic.

So, instead of watching another movie, Billy and his- _ their _ “brothers” went upstairs to move a lot of random stuff out of what he was told was the “Closet of Doom”.

It was repetitive work for the most part, giving Billy plenty of time to think. The more time that Billy spent with this family, getting to know them, the less they wanted to leave and continue their search. The Vasquezes were nice, really nice. It wasn’t the first time that Billy had been with a nice family, but it was certainly the first time in a long time that Billy could truly appreciate how nice such a family was.

Could they really give it all up and go back to the streets, just to keep looking for their mom? Because… even Billy knew that they could be happy here, if they let themselves. But to do that would mean giving up on their search, and Billy wasn’t sure if they could do that.

Not just to find her, his,  _ their… _ their mom, but giving up would mean admitting that they  _ could _ give up. And Billy genuinely wasn’t sure what such an admission would do to them. They had made finding their mom such a big part of their life, had spent so long searching for her.

Billy wasn’t sure who they’d be without something that had, for so long, been such a big part of their life. And he,  _ they _ were a little scared of finding out.

But then again, they’d have to find out either way, wouldn’t they? Even if it all went perfectly, and they did find their mom, they’d still have to give up that part of them. So… so maybe it was better to give it up while with people that they  _ knew _ cared for them.

Not yet though, the scars were still too fresh. But maybe one day.

But there was another concern, would their mom truly accept Billy for what they were? Would she accept the part that wanted to wear makeup the way Mary and Victor did? Or would she be like their last foster family and  _ hurt _ them for being different?

Maybe… maybe it would be better to stay here, where there was a good chance of safety, rather than running away to something that could end badly.

Better the devil you know than the one you don't. It was a saying for a reason after all.

Eventually the Closet of Doom was emptied into the attic, and the group came back together in the guest room.

“Well, that wasn’t too bad.” Pedro commented when they were done.

"So  _ why _ did we clean it out?" Freddy wanted to know. 

"Well Mary pointed out that Billy might feel more comfortable in his own room," Victor explained, causing Billy to freeze at the words, "She didn't say why just that you would," he assured Billy, “But it sounded like a good idea, so here we are.”

"Th-thank you," Billy stammered. They'd never had their own room before, not even with the nice foster families, and this would make it so much easier to handle their freak- _ genderfluidness _ if they had privacy for their “Bad Days”. They might even be able to try on their skirt. With the door closed.

"And it's even got a lock," Victor added. "We try to make sure everyone has one but Freddy's broke a while back and we never got around to fixing it. Really need to get to that one of these days… But we don't barge in without permission though and the others know better, even Darla."

Billy's throat was tight so they settled for nodding. They had their own room and a  _ lock. _

Suddenly giving this family a chance got a whole lot easier.

* * *

Billy sat on their new bed, in their new room, and looked around it.

It was a bit bare, not surprising given that it was a guest room just yesterday. But even the mostly empty room was better than they had ever been given before. As they looked around they saw their backpack at the end of the bed, where they’d put it when they’d come in.

Looking at the door, which was open, Billy grabbed the bag and sat back against the pillows. They gave another wary look to the door, half expecting another person to march in. When no one did Billy opened the bag and ruffled through it, quickly moving towards the bottom of it.

New room or not, they still couldn’t use the stuff that was squirreled away in the bag, not when the door was open at least. But they could indulge themselves a  _ little _ , that had been Mary’s idea at least, from what she had said.

Having their own room meant that it was easier for Billy to give into their “feminine side” without having to worry about being caught by Freddy, according to her. Billy wasn’t sure that they would really do that, not much more than they had been at least, but it was nice to have the option.

Just because they had a word for it now didn’t mean that Billy was willing to embrace the part of himse- _ them _ selves that they’d spent so long ignoring and denying. Maybe one day, but… not yet, not now.

"Billy?" Rosa knocked then poked her head into the room. "Victor and I wanted to talk to you. May we come in?"

Billy shrugged and pulled the backpack closer as the two adults stepped in. Unease settled in their gut when Victor gently closed the door behind him.

"Wha-what do you want?" Their voice was only slightly shaky. 

Victor looked sad when he realized Billy was afraid of them. "Nothing bad, I promise. We just wanted to talk real quick, okay?"

"Mary didn't tell us anything, but Victor and I have noticed a few things about you that we wanted to address," Rosa explained.

Billy's heart sank. This was it. This was when they told them that they didn't tolerate freaks in their house, when they showed their true colors and hurt them. Maybe Billy would get locked in their new room, and that was why the family had spent so much of the day cleaning it out.

"We are very open-minded people, Billy, and that means we don't have a problem with you. We want you to be happy here, and if doing things that aren't exactly considered 'normal' makes you happy, then we want you to do it."

Billy blinked. Wait, what?

Upon seeing their confusion Victor continued. "We've noticed that you have an interest in girls clothing and seem to be trying to speak like one, and we want you to know that we love and support you."

Billy was even more confused and more than a little dumbfounded. "You're… you’re not kicking me out? Or-or locking me in here?" They croaked.

"No!" Rosa cried in alarm. "We would never do that to you, sweetie. This is your home now and we want you to be safe and happy. You will always have a place here." She hesitated then wrapped her arms around Billy who stiffened. "I know you don't feel comfortable right now, but I just had to hug you. I think you needed one."

...she was right, Billy did need one but they still couldn't bring themselves to return it. Not yet.

"But that reminds me - I did get you something." She offered a shopping bag, marked with the logo of the store that they’d visited yesterday, to Billy who hesitantly opened it.

It was the shirt they had been eyeing at the mall, the one Rosa had caught them staring at. It was a little big but Billy didn't care. Their eyes filled with tears and Billy quickly blinked them away.

"Thanks," they whispered. 

"Not a problem, buddy," Victor smiled. "One last question and then we'll leave you alone. Are there any specific pronouns you want us to use for you?"

"He or,”  _ or she _ , Billy tried to say, but the word felt like it got stuck behind their teeth, so instead: “Or they," Billy said after a long moment. 

"We can do that," Rosa smiled. "And maybe you can give us a chance before you run away again."

Billy flushed and nodded. "I'll… I’ll think about it," they promised. 

"That's all we ask," Victor winked at them then he and Rosa left, shutting the door behind them, leaving Billy to stare sadly at the shirt for a long moment.

Finally, after quickly locking the door, Billy yanked off their Hoodie and slowly, hesitantly pulled on the new shirt. They refused to look at themselves but stroked the material, loving the way it felt against their skin.

After a few moments Billy yawned then lay down on the bed, intending to rest for a few minutes but soon fell asleep, sleeping better than they had in  _ years. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments, critiques, chats, and apparently threats of kidnapping Billy are all welcomed in the comments.


	6. New School

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "We're not really family, you know that right? Our families didn't want us, and Victor and Rosa are only taking care of us so they can get money."
> 
> Billy instantly felt bad when Darla's eyes filled with tears and her bottom lip quivered, but he’d already slipped up too much the last few days. He needed to make some distance between him and the others, before he got in too deep. She sniffled then smiled. "I know you don't mean that," she waved then headed towards her classroom.
> 
> Billy did his best to ignore the looks that the others gave him, determined to get back on track with his plans. He had to leave, had to find his mom, and no matter how nice the Vasquezes were, they were going to distract him from that goal.
> 
> He couldn’t get attached, no matter how much he wanted to.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're a series now! WOO! No plans to add to it for the immediate future, but we do have more long term plans. There may be side stories, but the idea is a series of sequels, each one focusing on something else. "An Escape Artist's Last Chance" is primarily about Billy finding acceptance/self-acceptance, while the next one will be something else.
> 
> Rock of Eternity, for all your Billy Batson fic needs: (https://discord.gg/C6jSt8FS96)

It was still dark out when Billy woke up. He yawned and looked around bleary-eyed. He felt more refreshed than he ever had before, and the reason was quickly discovered after realizing he was still wearing the girls shirt. He was quick to yank it off but was gentle as he put it in his backpack.

He was delighted when he realized that it was a "Good Day", if only because he could spend a day without the headache that the bad ones tended to be, but it was short-lived when he remembered that it was Monday and that meant he had to start school. Ugh.

Reluctantly he got out of bed and found a change of clothes then pulled his hoodie on before grabbing his backpack and getting ready to head downstairs. If he was lucky he could reach the kitchen before Rosa started cooking so he could watch her.

He spent a moment thinking, before he decided to leave his backpack behind. He’d been promised that no one would come in, so it would probably be safe for it to sit in his room for a little while. He was slow to move, being careful to avoid the creaky step, so that he wouldn’t wake anyone up as he moved.

When he got downstairs and saw that no one was around, apparently he was the first one up, he took the time to do something he hadn’t done since Saturday: take a look around. He was slow, careful, as he walked through the house. There wasn’t anything too interesting, besides a few pictures and nicknacks, but it was a bit comforting to at least make sure that he knew where everything was.

Knowing the layout of the place would make escaping easier if he needed to make a quick getaway. If he was being honest with himself he hoped that it wouldn't come to that, but it was better to be safe than sorry. They didnt have anything worth stealing, not that he did that sort of thing often, so he marked that off his list and he wasn't stupid enough to try that with Mary again, not after she'd been so kind to him.

Not after they’d  _ all _ been so kind to him. 

Seeing that the sun was starting to rise and hearing footsteps Billy raced to the kitchen and sat down, plastering a bored look on his face as Rosa entered.

"Good morning," she greeted as she started a pot of coffee.

"Morning," Billy was pleased to see that his voice had gone back to normal.

"So I was thinking, maybe you'd like to learn how to cook, I could teach you," she offered casually.

"Cooking?" Billy was only slightly confused. It did sound interesting though.

Rosa nodded. "We've noticed that you're careful about eating stuff that you didn't see prepared, so I thought you might feel more comfortable if you could help prepare it. Everyone here knows how to make basic stuff just in case I can't make it home in time to cook."

Billy considered the offer, even as he blushed a little at having his issues pointed out to him like that. Cooking wasn't  _ too _ girlish, and it would be a useful skill for the future. "Sure," he agreed. 

"Excellent," Rosa smiled at him. "Just let me get some coffee in my system and you can have your first lesson."

By the time breakfast was ready Billy knew how to make eggs and sausage, even the tofu substitutes that Darla was fond of.

Breakfast was, like all meal times, loud but pretty homey, and Billy found it hard to remain quiet and stoic as everyone chatted and passed around the food. He was still a bit wary, still cautious of letting them get too close.

They were nice,  _ really _ nice, but he couldn’t stop the voice that told him that this was all temporary, that this wouldn’t last. He wanted to join in, wanted to be a part of it all, but… but that would only make it hurt more if this didn’t work out.

After breakfast Rosa passed out lunches that Billy had spied her making, and then Victor herded them into the van so he could drop them off on his way to work. The ride was cramped and loud as Pedro insisted on playing heavy metal music which made Billy's ears hurt, and he was all too happy to get out when they finally arrived. 

As they approached the school Billy heard Darla rambling about how going to a new school could be scary because of all the new people, but that it’d be less scary if he thought of them all as “so many new friends”.

Billy swallowed nervously as he entered the school, absently wondering if he could try to escape from here instead of the Vasquez home, but was brought out of his thoughts by Darla who tugged on his hoodie.

"What?" He snapped.

"Have a good day, new big brother," she chirped.

"We're not really family, you know that right? Our families didn't want us, and Victor and Rosa are only taking care of us so they can get money."

Billy instantly felt bad when Darla's eyes filled with tears and her bottom lip quivered, but he’d already slipped up too much the last few days. He needed to make some distance between him and the others, before he got in too deep. She sniffled then smiled. "I know you don't mean that," she waved then headed towards her classroom.

Billy did his best to ignore the looks that the others gave him, determined to get back on track with his plans. He had to leave, had to find his mom, and no matter how nice the Vasquezes were, they were going to distract him from that goal.

He couldn’t get attached, no matter how much he wanted to.

School sucked, but that was to be expected. No matter what sort of family he was put with, one fact always remained the same: school sucked. He was a lot smarter than most people would assume that a kid that spent half his time living on the streets would be, so luckily he wasn’t too far behind where a “normal” kid of his age would be, but it still sucked.

During free period Billy found himself standing outside of the auditorium where drama club auditions were held. Quickly, before he could talk himself out of it, Billy forced himself to march in and up to the old man that was clearly in charge. There were only a few students in the room and they all looked bored.

"Can I help you?" The old man peered at him over thick rimmed glasses.

Billy gulped but nodded. "I wanted to try out," he mumbled.

"Do you have any acting experience?" The old man looked so hopeful that Billy almost felt bad.

"No sir, Victor, Victor Vasquez thought I might like it," Billy answered. “So, uh… I thought I’d try.”

"I remember Victor," The teacher mused. "Terrible actor but a good kid. Though I think he only joined because of that girl. What was her name? Ah, yes, Rosa. He had the biggest crush on her and thought it would help his chances of getting a date."

“Did it?” Billy couldn’t help but ask.

“Well, they ended up married, so I can only assume so.” He was told in return.

Billy mentally face-palmed when he suddenly realized he already knew how the story ended. Everyone had a blonde moment at some point in their life, and he guessed this was his.

“So, why are you interested in the drama club?” The teacher asked, looking curious.

"Th-the vocal exercises," Billy's cheeks were tinged red with embarrassment. He refused to say  _ why, _ not to a total stranger, but thankfully the teacher didn't ask.

"Normally I would make you do an actual audition but no one else really wants to join, and if I want to keep getting funded I have to have so many students so we can do the fast version. Here's a script; read me this scene right here."

Billy took the script and started reading it. He stuttered a bit, tripped over his words a few times, but the teacher seemed pleased enough at the end that Billy was made a part of the club.

The rest of the day passed without too much issue, besides the fact that he was bothered by more than a few curious students that wanted to scope out the “new kid”, but eventually it ended and he got to go ho- go back to the Vasquez’s house.

Rosa was waiting for them and hugged everyone except Billy but she sent him a warm smile. "How was everyone's day?" She asked as everyone started piling into the van.

“It was fine.” Was Billy’s contribution after everyone else had given their own updates.

"Billy joined the drama club," Darla informed her. 

Billy immediately flushed, both in embarrassment and anger at his actions being reported. How’d she even know that? He hadn’t told anyone about that!

"How'd you know that?" He demanded, glaring at the girl.

"I know one of the girls in there," Darla explained, "and she told me."

Billy glared for a moment longer before slumping back in his seat, more than a little upset at being outed like that.

"Darla," Rosa said sternly. "Next time you should let Billy tell his own news. He obviously didn't want anyone else to know."

"Sorry," Darla mumbled, looking chastened.

Billy just ignored her, still angry at her for telling them. 

Rosa glanced at him then turned her attention back to the road and pulled out. "Alright, so who needs help with their homework after a snack?"

"Me!" Darla cried. "We have fractions and I hate those."

Billy kept silent, not willing to accept that he may need help. He could manage without, he’d done so for years now after all.

"Billy," Rosa looked at him in the rear view mirror. "Is there anything that you want help with? Mary still comes to us for help sometimes."

Billy appreciated the fact that she was trying to make it easier for him to accept help but shook his head. "I got it," he said stubbornly.

"If you're sure," Rosa didn't press the subject but instead asked the other kids if they needed help with certain subjects. Darla and Pedro seemed to need the most help, Eugene and Freddy being the smartest (nerdiest, Billy autocorrected) of the bunch. 

After getting home Billy went straight to his room and locked the door.

* * *

"So do you think he'll stay?" Eugene pushed his glasses back up on his nose.

Freddy shrugged. "I'm not sure," he admitted. "He seems pretty intent on finding his mom, even if she doesn't feel the same."

"She sounds like a bad mom," Darla declared. She looked angry which didn't happen very often and was usually on someone else's behalf.

"She does," Eugene agreed. "I don't get why he doesn't just give up on her, I know I would."

"If he's been looking for her this long he won't give up until he finds her," Pedro announced. "He probably doesn't know how to live without her because he's never done it before. What?" He demanded upon seeing that everyone was staring at him. "I'm quiet, not stupid."

"We were just surprised," Eugene said hastily. "I always forget how insightful you are."

"You'd make a good head doctor," Darla said happily.

Freddy's brow furrowed as he stared at their little sister. "Do you mean a neurosurgeon?"

“No, she means a therapist.” Pedro corrected. “Or a psychiatrist.”

“About Billy,” Eugene broke back in, trying to get them back on track, “Did you notice that he wasn’t doing that thing with his voice today?”

"How could we not," Freddy groaned. "It was super weird."

"Not as weird as him getting his own room right after he started doing that," Pedro pointed out.

"True," Eugene conceded.

“Do you think they’re connected?” Freddy asked, furrowing his brow in confusion. He wasn’t upset that Billy got his own room, if his parents gave it to him then he obviously needed it, but he did find it a bit confusing. “Like, do you think he got his own room  _ because _ of the voice thing?”

"Maybe," Pedro shrugged. "I'm not sure how but they probably are connected."

"I want him to stay," Darla frowned. "I don't want him to go away and live with his mean Mommy."

The other kids exchanged glances then Freddy turned to her. "We don't either, but ultimately I think that's up to Billy, not us. The best thing we can do is make him feel so at home here that he doesn't want to leave. I know Mom, Dad, and Mary are going to do the same thing, and hopefully with all of us working on it he'll decide to stay."

"Okay," Darla grinned. "Operation Let's Keep Billy is a go!"

“So… what  _ do _ you think is up with the voice thing?” Eugene asked after a moment. “And why do you think Mom and Dad gave him his own room?”

Pedro frowned. "I'm not sure. Maybe he's just going through puberty really late. It almost sounded like a girl's voice though."

“...and then there was whatever Mom and Dad gave Billy last night.” Freddy commented. They’d not seen whatever it was, hidden away in a shopping bag as it had been, but they knew Billy had been given  _ something _ last night.

"Not to mention whatever's in his backpack that he takes everywhere." Eugene wasn't exaggerating, Billy had yet to let it out of his sight for more than a few minutes.

“Okay, not to sound crazy, but… his own room, the girl’s voice, mysterious stuff from Mom and Dad… do you… do you think that Billy’s a girl?” Pedro suggested. Admittedly it wasn’t the only explanation that made sense, there were others, but he couldn’t deny that this idea at least sounded plausible.

Freddy froze. "That's very possible," he admitted after thinking it over.

“But if Billy’s a girl, why hide it?” Darla asked, looking at her brothers in confusion.

“Well…” Freddy really didn’t want to say it, but… “At a guess? Maybe Billy’s last foster family hurt him. Hurt her? Maybe Billy’s scared that we’d hurt them if we knew?”

"But we wouldn't," Darla protested. "He's family - we would never hurt him."

“I know, but… well, sometimes people get hurt so much that all they can think about is getting hurt again.” Pedro told her, pulling his sister to his side in a hug as he spoke.

Darla returned the hug and said, "Is there any way we can help him? I want him to feel at home here."

"Just keep doing what you're doing," Freddy told her. "That's all we can do."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The kids are getting close, but they're not quite on the mark. Don't worry, it'll all come out eventually. We actually wrote the scene that leads up to that yesterday, so it's not too far off.
> 
> As always: comments, threats of kidnapping, passionate Spanish shouting, and other things are welcome down below.


	7. Destined Beginnings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It was easy to forget, considering that he was one of the quieter members of the Vasquez family, but Pedro was actually quite observant.
> 
> So he noticed that his latest sibling was on edge for all of Wednesday. He had noticed that Billy seemed to be confiding in Mary. He had noticed that Billy’s voice had once more taken on that odd pitch, as if they were trying to make it sound like a girl’s voice.
> 
> He had noticed the red shirt that was under Billy’s hoodie.
> 
> It wasn’t obvious, he had almost missed it in fact, but when Billy's hoodie rode up as they all climbed into the van he had seen. The ruffles on the bottom of the shirt and on the sleeves. Definitely not a boy's shirt and clearly something Billy wanted to keep hidden.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rock of Eternity Link: (https://discord.gg/C6jSt8FS96)
> 
> More family stuff! Woo!

Tuesday was, for the most part, very boring for Billy.

It was another “Good Day” for him, which he was pleased with. New word for it or no, he wasn’t exactly looking forward to the next “Bad Day” he had, even if he had been assured that he would be accepted if people found out.

But, in the meantime, he had a mostly boring school day to get through. The highlight was, to him at least, the vocal exercises that the drama teacher put him through. He wasn’t sure if they helped, probably wouldn’t until his next “Bad Day”, but the teacher seemed pleased by his progress, so Billy assumed that he was doing well enough.

Victor had also been pleased to hear that Billy had taken his advice and that his teacher remembered him.

Tuesday afternoon included the second part of the trilogy that they had started, with a promise of the third in the near future, and Billy found himself having a good time with his “brothers”. This, combined with the cooking lessons in the morning, helped put Billy in a pretty good mood for the most part.

He was therefore surprised when he woke up Wednesday. She-he- _ they _ knew instantly that it was a "Bad Day". Their chest and muscles felt wrong and they grumbled as they got up.

"This sucks," they whispered. Billy frowned at the sound of their voice for a moment, not liking how it sounded, before deciding that they may as well try what they’d learned so far in drama club.

“This sucks,” Billy repeated, pleased when their voice sounded more natural. Not perfect, but they were pleased to hear that they had made  _ some _ progress with it. Surely there was something else they could do to make this day easier as the voice could only do so much. They toyed with the idea of painting their nails, they’d never actually gotten around to it on Sunday, but that would take too long if they wanted to help Rosa cook.

"Here goes nothing," Billy sighed then removed the girls’ shirt from their backpack. They slipped it on then put on the hoodie as well. They checked to make sure the shirt wasn't visible, which it luckily wasn’t, feeling a bit better as they headed downstairs.

Rosa greeted them warmly as she drank her coffee and they returned it. "I like your voice," she commented. "Do you want me to refer to you as 'them' today?"

Billy considered the question then nodded. "Thank you," they said shyly. No one had ever taken this much interest in them or cared about hurting their feelings. They didn't want to leave but they had to. Eventually.

Maybe. 

It wasn’t until Billy was getting into the van that they remembered that they had to go to school. While wearing the girls’ shirt. Which someone could see, and realize that Billy wasn’t normal.

Fuck.

Billy spent the day living in constant fear that someone would see the shirt and point out that they were a freak. It would spread quickly through school and reach one of the others who would tell Rosa and Victor. Then they’d realize they had made a mistake in taking in Billy and get rid of them just like everyone else had done.

But, luckily, Billy managed to make it through the day without anyone realizing that Billy was wearing it, and all but fled into the relative safety of the Vasquez van when it arrived at the end of the day.

"So who wants to go out for dinner?" Rosa asked. "Victor got a bonus so he's taking us for Thai."

Billy froze at the words, genuinely not sure that they could manage to be around another crowd of people in public after the terrifying day that they’d accidentally brought upon themselves.

"I-I've got a ton of homework," they stammered. "I think I'll just stay home and get started on it."

"If you're sure," Rosa sighed, looking disappointed. 

“Don’t worry Mom, I’ll stay home with Billy,” Mary promised, giving a quick look to Rosa, “I think they’ve had a long day, so a bit of rest at home won’t hurt.”

Despite everything Billy relaxed minutely. Mary was safe, she knew their secret, and they could be themselves around her.

“Well, if you’re sure?” Rosa checked, “We’ll bring you something home if there’s any left.”

And before long it was just the two of them, as Rosa dropped them off at the house before moving on to wherever they were eating that night.

"So," Mary smiled at them. "I take it you feel like a girl today. Want to paint your nails?"

“...okay.” Billy agreed, blushing a bit. It’d been ages since they’d done their nails, and they’d never had anyone offer to  _ help _ with it. They’d never had anyone they trusted enough to let them know about it.

So the two of them moved up to Billy’s room, where Billy took off their hoodie and dug the nail polish out of their backpack. They hesitated as they looked at it, realizing that they were really doing this in front of someone else.

"It's okay," Mary said kindly. "You're safe with me."

They knew better, they really did, but Billy  _ wanted _ to believe her, so they nodded and sat on the floor, Mary sitting across from them. "I'm not good at this," Billy confessed. 

"I'll help," Mary winked. "How about this, you do mine and I'll do yours. Sound good?"

"Sure," Billy agreed.

It was, surprisingly, a lot of fun. Billy's toenails were a nice shade of red and looked much better than Mary's orange that covered her feet and nails.

"You need more practice," she informed them. "Don't worry, it'll come off."

“I, uh… haven’t had a lot of chances to practice.” Billy confessed, a little upset at how bad they’d screwed up.

“So, how are you feeling?” Mary asked, apparently deciding to ignore Billy’s embarrassment.

“Confused. Scared. I wore my shirt to school today, and thought someone would see.” Billy promised themself to be more careful in the future, no matter how much of a “Bad Day” they were having. They couldn’t take a risk like that again.

"Our school is supposed to be open-minded, but I can understand why you were worried. It's a nice shirt though."

“I liked how it felt though.” Billy muttered, going red at the words. Despite the fear that they had felt all day, the shirt itself had felt really nice.

"Do you have any other girl clothes?" Mary wanted to know.

Billy flushed again. "I have a skirt," they mumbled. "It's a little big but that's cuz I stole it from someone else. I have a headband too, but that's it."

Not that they felt bad about stealing the skirt. The girl that they’d stolen it from had deserved it, after all she’d done not only to Billy but to the other foster kids in that home.

Theft was the least she deserved in Billy’s opinion.

“Can I see them?” Mary asked, looking interested.

Billy hesitated for a moment, nearly saying no, but then got everything out of their backpack and displayed it for Mary to see. The skirt was rumpled and the headband bent but still, they were their special belongings. 

But they… they did trust Mary, at least a little. She’d been good to them, so the least Billy could do is open up. Just a little.

"I told the people at my last home about me,” Billy whispered as they presented the items, “They hurt me because of it, said I was a freak. That's why I don't like telling others about this. I've always felt this way though, I've always felt like a girl and a boy. I've never really felt...normal."

"There's nothing wrong with not being normal," Mary said gently. "If everyone was normal the world would be very boring."

Billy just bowed their head, not replying. They wanted to believe that, Mary hadn’t lied to them yet after all, but… but they could still hear that last foster family’s words. It was hard to silence those memories, even if they seemed to get a bit quieter every day.

"You know I have some clothes I don't wear anymore if you want them," Mary offered. "I was going to get rid of them but I don't mind giving them to you."

Billy's head snapped up, their eyes wide. "Really?" They whispered.

"Really," Mary confirmed then stood. "I'll be right back." She dashed out the door and reappeared a few minutes later carrying a white garbage bag. "Here you go," she announced. 

Billy eagerly dug into the bag. There were a few shirts, jeans, some skirts, and even a red dress. A lot of it was too big for them, Mary was a fair bit taller than Billy after all, but some of it looked like it would fit well enough. They eyed the dress eagerly and even got a few pairs of socks and two pairs of red panties.

Those caused Billy to pause again, blushing as they gently picked up the underwear. They were soft, and felt great, but… a shirt was one thing, even if it was meant for a girl, but panties felt like something else.

"I know you might not be ready for that step yet, but whenever you are, you have them available," Mary explained.

“Th-thanks.” Maybe one day Billy would use them, but not yet. Not when they were still trying to understand what they were. Not when the memories were still so fresh.

* * *

It was easy to forget, considering that he was one of the quieter members of the Vasquez family, but Pedro was actually quite observant.

So he noticed that his latest sibling was on edge for all of Wednesday. He had noticed that Billy seemed to be confiding in Mary. He had noticed that Billy’s voice had once more taken on that odd pitch, as if they were trying to make it sound like a girl’s voice.

He had noticed the red shirt that was under Billy’s hoodie.

It wasn’t obvious, he had almost missed it in fact, but when Billy's hoodie rode up as they all climbed into the van he had seen. The ruffles on the bottom of the shirt and on the sleeves. Definitely  _ not _ a boy's shirt and clearly something Billy wanted to keep hidden.

So he didn’t mention it, even when he, Darla, Freddy, and Eugene met up again on Thursday afternoon to talk about Billy while they did their homework. It wasn’t their business after all, and if Billy wanted anyone to know, then he… she… Mary had said “they” on Wednesday night before they left, and she would know best, so if Billy wanted anyone to know, then  _ they _ would simply say so.

He still talked though, helped the group work out plans to show Billy how much they cared for them. But the shirt wasn’t mentioned, even if Pedro mentally reworked his theories about Billy to include the new piece of information.

He did debate going to Billy himself, to talk to them, but in the end he decided against it, for now. He needed more information to properly develop a plan, so that he didn’t accidentally scare them.

Billy had surely sworn Mary to secrecy, but he may be able to get her help in some way. If only in making sure that Billy hadn’t suffered permanent harm under their previous foster families.

But all his plans went out the window on Friday

* * *

For all that Billy was happy to get all the new clothes from Mary, which were currently all hidden away in the back of his closet where no one could see them, he was glad that he was having another “Good Day”, if only so that he wasn’t tempted to wear any of it to school again.

“Open-minded” the school may be, but Billy could barely bring himself to take any of them outside of his room, let alone all the way to the very public, very crowded school.

He spent most of the day dodging kids that still wanted to know about him and be "friends" and happily attended drama club, where they continued working on his vocal exercises. There was talk of an actual play in the near future, but apparently there were some script related issues, so any rehearsals or the like were postponed for the immediate future.

Rosa was running late so the kids were standing out by the road, waiting for her to show. Unfortunately this meant that Billy and his fami- _ foster _ family were forced to wait in front of the school.

And, waiting out front of the school, was one of the bigger pains in the ass that Billy had to deal with since coming to live with the Vasquezes.

The Breyers.

“Oh, great.” He muttered when he noticed them waiting by their car.

He tried to ignore them, moving along with his “siblings” towards where they knew Rosa would see them when she finally pulled up.

Unfortunately the jackasses were apparently in a mood, because they started picking on Freddy. It was just words, at first anyway, so Billy didn’t move to do anything. He wasn’t going to pick a fight with the two much larger boys if he didn’t have to.

But, because the universe hated him, very soon he did have to.

They knocked over Freddy, kicking his crutch away as they laughed.

Billy had been trying to distance himself from the Vasquez family, had been trying not to get attached. He didn’t want to care for them, didn’t want them to care for  _ him _ . That was what he had been telling himself for an entire week, because if they cared about him and he cared about them… then he might want to stay, and give up on his mom.

Billy had spent a week desperately trying to convince himself to leave, and he was practically being handed the perfect chance to do so.

No one would notice him leaving right now, focused on Freddy and the Breyers as they were, and surely they wouldn’t want him back if he left Freddy to his fate like this.

But somehow he found himself marching up to the bullies, crutch in hand, and winding up a swing.

“HEY!” He shouted, swinging the crutch like a baseball bat at the closer Breyer. He missed, hitting the window of the car. Which resulted in a large hole in the glass.

Oh well.

His next swing hit on target however, right into the Breyer boy’s gut, causing them to double over. Unfortunately, this was all that Billy could do, as the other bully had turned away from tormenting Freddy to focus on Billy.

“Come and get me, dipshits.” He taunted, dropping the crutch and running like a bat out of hell.

Straight past a familiar van that was just pulling up.

“Billy?!” He heard Rosa shout, but he couldn’t afford to slow down as he ran like his life depended on it. Which it very well might.

He wasn’t quite sure where he was going, but after what felt like ages he came to a stop in an empty subway car, watching as the two bullies glared at him from the other side of the window.

As he sat, and waited until he got to… wherever this line went, he suddenly realized what he had just done.

He’d run away. From bullies, yes, but… he had his backpack with him, he had the clothes on his back, and everyone was probably focused on making sure that Freddy was okay.

He could just… he could just  _ not _ go back. He could just get off the train, work out a scam to earn enough money to eat, and keep looking for his mom.

But… but did he want to do that?

As he thought about it, feeling his mind go in circles as he tried to work out what he wanted to do, the entire subway car suddenly shuddered in a distinctly unnatural way.

“...an earthquake?” He wondered aloud, watching as all the electronic signs that were supposed to show where he was going glitch out, and the lights blink in and out rapidly. He could only sit on his seat, watching the stone race past outside the window, his heart racing as he felt the entire car rock and bounce.

And then it was over, and in the darkness and silence that followed the quake the doors opened to reveal a large cavern.

"Where the fuck am I?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always: threats of kidnapping, passionate Spanish, and other comments are all welcome down below.
> 
> Next time: Doors!


	8. Who put all these doors in a cave?!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The old man ignored him and kept talking. "I have been searching for someone pure of heart and-"
> 
> Billy burst into laughter, tears forming at the corner of his eyes. "Pu-pure of heart and you chose me?”
> 
> “You doubt that you are pure of heart?”
> 
> “I doubt that anyone is pure of heart.” He mocked, still laughing a little. Although… although the Vasquez family seemed to come close. But BIlly knew better, no one was perfect and pure. No matter how much he wanted them to be. “And if anyone was, it certainly wouldn’t be me.”
> 
> "I have been searching for five thousand years and you are the closest that I've found."
> 
> “Well, if I’m the best you’ve found, then humanity is fucked.” Billy muttered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A link to the Rock of Eternity Server, where you can get all your Billy Batson goodness: (https://discord.gg/C6jSt8FS96)
> 
> Now, I (Blue) want to take a moment to do something I really should have by now: thank my consultant. They've been so much help for me, and I don't think that I could do this fic without them. So: thank you SatanXxy, for all your help in making sure that the genderfluid representation in this fic is done right.
> 
> Anyway, back to the fic, where we're at the Rock of Eternity, and this is the best place to say something important: neither Gage or Blue are that interested in the Sins and Sivanna. We do that story arc, but we both agreed that there was other stuff we found far more interesting, villains that we were more excited to use, etc.
> 
> So um... don't expect much from Sivanna and the Sins, despite the fact that they should be really important.

Billy took a few hesitant steps off the subway car, looking around the cave that he had found himself in. It looked like what he imagined most caves looked like: full of stalactites, stalactites, and creepy echoes.

“Where the fuck am I?” He repeated, not seeing any to progress that wasn’t further into the mysterious cave. Deciding that wasn’t his best option he turned around, thinking that he might be able to crawl through whatever rubble that quake had caused and walk along the tracks until he got to the next station, only to see something that proved that this was not a normal cave.

There was no subway car behind him.

“Fuck.” Billy could only stare at the solid wall that was behind him. It was smooth stone, not even a seam to hide a door or passageway. He even reached out, hoping to find some way back, but all that did was prove to him that the path behind him had somehow turned into a perfectly real wall made of solid, cold stone.

“This is the start to a slasher film, isn’t it?” He quietly asked himself, turning back to the tunnel behind him. Well, nothing for it, he only had one thing he could do.

Besides sitting against this wall and dying anyway. There was at least a chance if he moved further in.

As Billy walked through the cave, hoping to find literally anything besides rock, rock, and more rock, he noticed something that once again proved this cave wasn’t normal: a door. A door that was embedded into the side of the cave. Billy approached it, feeling more confused by the second, grabbed the doorknob, turned it, and…

It was locked. Because of course the weird door in the wall of the weird cave was locked.

When knocking on it proved ineffective, and he didn’t hear anything when he put his ear to it, he moved on in the hopes of finding something else.

Good news: he found more stuff.

Bad news: all he found was more locked doors.

Why were there so many locked doors in a fucking cave?! Who had found this cave and decided that what it needed was a bunch of locked doors?!

Finally, after a veritable sea of locked doors, seriously what the actual  _ fuck _ , Billy found something new: a creepy statue!

The statue was creepy and distorted, causing Billy to shiver as he paused next to it. It was titled 'Sloth' and wasn't the only one. There were six more, each and everyone of them distorted and  _ wrong. _ There was Pride, Greed, Sloth, Envy, Wrath, and Lust. Billy wanted nothing more than to get away from them so he sped up, desperate to leave them behind.

After the creepy statues came a large chamber, one that included a raised podium at the end. A group of large seats, almost like thrones, sat on the dias, curving around some invisible spot in the middle of the platform like an arch.

And, sitting in the center seat, was some old guy.

His skin wasn't as dark as Darla's and he was wearing a weird red suit with a glowing lightning bolt on his chest.

“Um… hi?” Billy called.

“Billy Batson.” And the old cave dude knew his name. Because of course the old cave dude knew his name.

"Who are you and how do you know my name?" Billy demanded. If this guy knew his name then what else did he know? 

“I have been watching you Billy Batson.” The old man said, not actually explaining anything.

“That’s creepy.” Billy informed the old man, flinching slightly at his words. Yeah Batson, good choice, antagonize the creepy cave stalker.

The old man ignored him and kept talking. "I have been searching for someone pure of heart and-"

Billy burst into laughter, tears forming at the corner of his eyes. "Pu-pure of heart and you chose  _ me _ ?”

“You doubt that you are pure of heart?”

“I doubt that  _ anyone _ is pure of heart.” He mocked, still laughing a little. Although… although the Vasquez family seemed to come close. But BIlly knew better,  _ no one _ was perfect and pure. No matter how much he wanted them to be. “And if anyone was, it certainly wouldn’t be me.”

"I have been searching for five thousand years and you are the closest that I've found."

“Well, if I’m the best you’ve found, then humanity is fucked.” Billy muttered.

"Watch your tongue!" The apparent fossil thundered, his voice echoing out so loud and sudden that Billy took a step back in shock. "You will show some respect. I am beyond ancient and have been a guardian of this world since it was formed. I have chosen you to be the new recipient of my powers, and to take my place as Guardian of the Rock of Eternity, and Champion Of All Magic."

Billy wasn’t sure how the old dude was doing it, but he could  _ hear _ the capitalization of some of those words. Which was an impressive trick, even if he discounted the fact that this guy was actually kind of terrifying.

“Um… sorry.” He tried.

"Do not be sorry. Be  _ better _ . This is your destiny. You were  _ born _ to be my Champion, just as Teth-Adam was."

“Teth-Adam?” Billy asked, regretting his curiosity nearly as soon as he said the words.

"He is of no consequence," the creepy cave dude said dismissively. "Say my name, Billy Batson, and you shall receive my powers."

"What is your name?" Billy asked, deciding to humor the man. Maybe they’d get bored and let Billy go if he played along for a bit.

“Shazam.” Maybe it was the word, maybe it was the way that they said it with all the solemness and seriousness one would give to government secrets, but Billy couldn’t help but laugh again when he heard the name.

“Say it!” The man ordered once more, holding out what looked like a wizard’s staff, which Billy wasn’t entirely sure had been there before. Taking the visual cue, and having no idea what was going on, Billy reached out and grabbed the staff.

“Okay…” Well, here goes nothing. “Shazam.”

There was a tremendous roar of thunder as lightning shot down from above, and Billy screamed as the lightning struck the staff. His hand felt like it was burning, like he was gripping hot iron and not _a_ _wooden staff_.

“You must have the Wisdom of Solomon!” Another bolt, and Billy felt like he was nearly bowled over by the pain that extended from his hand.

“The Strength of Hercules!” Another bolt, and Billy distantly realized that he hadn’t actually stopped screaming in pain.

“The Stamina of Atlas!” Billy desperately tried to ignore the pain and let go of the staff, but he couldn’t even get his fingers to twitch.

“The Power of Zeus!” It was up to his shoulder now, a current of pain that twisted up under his skin like molten metal.

“The Courage of Achilles!” It flooded into his chest, the lava in his veins reaching for his heart.

“And the Speed of Mercury!” One last bolt, and Billy’s vision went white as he felt the pain briefly spike to a whole new level.

But then it was over, and Billy was on his knees, no longer holding the staff.

“What, what did you?” Billy gasped, finding it hard to breath. Everything from the fingertips of his right hand, which he’d used to grab the staff, all the way to his chest felt like it was numb, and his entire arm was twitching.

"I gave you my power," Shazam looked much older than he had moments before. "And now my time is up. I give you this warning, Billy Batson. Beware The Sins. There are those who would use them for evil, and I can only hope you are able to stop them."

And then, before Billy could ask anything, or even get back to his feet, Shazam hefted his staff once more. Billy had just long enough to brace himself before another bolt came down from nowhere, this one headed straight for him.

The last thing Billy saw before it hit him was the old man crumbling to dust.

* * *

"Where is he?" Darla wanted to know. After being picked up from school Rosa and Victor had immediately left to go and look for Billy. After Rosa chewed out the Breyers at least.

“Do… do you think he’ll come back?” Freddy asked Mary quietly, not wanting Darla to overhear. He knew that Billy had been wanting to leave, Billy hadn’t exactly hidden that fact, and this would prove to be a good chance to do so.

"I don't know," Mary replied, equally quiet. "I hope so, but I don't know. I thought we were getting through to them. All we can do now is just wait and hope Mom and Dad find them."

“Yeah. I heard Dad as they were leaving, and he’s not lying is he? We’ll take him back? No matter what?” Every other family had, eventually, given up on Billy, had sent him away or kicked him out. Freddy really didn’t think that they’d do the same, but he still had to ask.

"Of course we will," Pedro grunted. "They're part of the family now, whether or not they like it."

“Yeah!” Darla chipped in, overhearing Pedro. “Billy’s family!”

"Why are you still playing that stupid game?" Freddy demanded, noticing that Eugene had set himself up on his laptop at some point. "Billy's missing."

"I'm not playing a game," Eugene informed them, not even looking up. "I'm trying to see if I can find his mom. Maybe if I can he'll be more willing to stay after they meet. If nothing else he deserves to meet her after all this time."

"That's very sweet of you," Mary said. "But what did Rosa and Victor say about hacking into police files?"

"Not to do it," Eugene muttered. "But all I'm doing is searching for an adult female Batson. Everything I'm looking up is public knowledge."

“You know, she’s probably not using the Batson name anymore, right?” Pedro mused aloud. “If she could be found that easily then the police would have found her by now, or Billy would have. What was her maiden name? Maybe she went back to it?”

"That's what I'm checking for now," Eugene sighed. "There's a paper trail somewhere, I just know there is."

“Well, in the meantime, maybe we should-” Whatever Mary was about to say was cut off by what sounded like the trash cans being knocked over by the backdoor.

“...maybe it was a raccoon?” Darla eventually offered, after a long moment of everyone looking towards the source of the sound as if they could see through the wall and learn what it was.

“Yeah… probably just a raccoon.” Mary agreed, slowly approaching the backdoor. “Why don’t you all stay here while I check it out?”

Freddy pulled out his phone, ready to dial for help in an instant. Pedro got up and stood in the doorway, watching with narrowed eyes as Mary opened the backdoor.

Standing in the doorway, looking amazingly awkward, was a tall, muscled man that was dressed in red, white, and gold.

Darla and Eugene both shrieked and Freddy dropped his phone in shock. Mary slowly backed up as the man entered, hitting his head on the doorframe. 

"Shit," he cursed, his voice rather deep yet familiar at the same time.

Pedro dashed forward, pulling Mary behind him which was rather futile as she was taller than him. "Who are you?" He demanded. "Why are you here?"

Before the stranger could even attempt to do anything, he was cut off as a small form rushed past them all and impacted them.

“Billy!” Darla cried out from where she was hugging the stranger’s red clad legs. He froze, looking horrified.

"Darla!" Mary grabbed her sister, awkwardly reaching around Pedro to do it, pulling her back.

"But it's Billy," Darla protested. 

“She’s right.” The stranger said, his deep voice making all their attention snap to him. “I’m Billy.”

Freddy burst out laughing. "Yeah right," he scoffed. "Billy's not even five foot ten and you're over six feet tall."

“I think it’s closer to seven feet actually…” Freddy was corrected by the man. “But I  _ am _ Billy, I can prove it!”

“Oh yeah?” Eugene called from the back of the group. “How?”

“...what if you asked me something only Billy would know?” Was the suggestion that they were given.

"Okay, " Mary crossed her arms. "What did Billy and I do Wednesday night?"

The stranger turned beet red at the question. "D-do I have to answer in front of everyone?" He asked, looking at the family like  _ he _ was scared of  _ them _ , and not like he could bench press Freddy.

Mary sighed in defeat. "No. You can whisper it," she pushed her way past Pedro and stood next to the stranger. He leaned down and whispered in her ear. Mary's eyes widened and she gasped. "You really  _ are _ Billy. "

“Really?” Freddy demanded, looking the wall of muscle up and down.

The man nodded. "It's really me, I promise."

"It is," Mary sighed. "There's no way Billy would have told anyone what they just told me."

“Okay…” Freddy was pretty sure he wasn’t the only one giving his sister weird looks, although Darla took the chance to slip away and hug Billy again while they were all distracted, and wondering what had happened after they left for Thai food. But eventually he had to turn his attention back to Billy. Who was now a really buff dude dressed like a superhero, “So, um… what happened to you?”

"Some creepy ass dude in a weird cave told me to say his name and I got struck by lightning then I turned into this."

“Cave? Where’d you find a cave?” Pedro demanded, looking about as confused as Freddy felt. “And what creepy dude?”

Billy shrugged. "I don't know; he said he was a wizard, his name was Shazam-"

And then Billy was struck by lightning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next Chapter: Billy falls over, and some newcomers join the scene.
> 
> Threats of kidnapping, passionate Spanish, genuine discussion, and all other sorts of things are welcome down in the comments.


	9. Billy Comes Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There was a moment of silence after the blinding crash of lightning cut off Billy’s explanation. When the smoke cleared Mary and her siblings could see that Billy was not only fine, but back to their normal self.
> 
> “Well, at least you’re okay-” Once more someone was interrupted, but this time it was by Billy falling to the floor and clutching at their right arm with a look of clear pain on their face. “Billy!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Holidays!
> 
> Link to the Rock of Eternity, for Billy Batson fics: (https://discord.gg/C6jSt8FS96) 
> 
> Things are really gearing up now, aren't they?

There was a moment of silence after the blinding crash of lightning cut off Billy’s explanation. When the smoke cleared Mary and her siblings could see that Billy was not only fine, but back to their normal self.

“Well, at least you’re okay-” Once more someone was interrupted, but this time it was by Billy falling to the floor and clutching at their right arm with a look of clear pain on their face. “Billy!”

“My-my arm.” They gasped, looking scared and hurt.

Instantly Mary was in "sister" mode and ran to their side. "Let me see," she ordered, as she moved Billy to rest against the wall. Billy complied and a gasp escaped Mary once she could see it. "Did the lightning do that?" A long, lightning shaped scar ran from their fingertips and up his arm, disappearing beneath their clothes.

"I-I don't know," Billy looked even more freaked out. 

"Call Mom and Dad," Mary turned to look at Freddy for a moment before focusing on Billy again. "Billy, I need to see how far that scar runs. I'll need you to take off your shirt."

Billy blanched and shook their head.

"Yes," Mary insisted. "We can go to my room, but I have to see if you need medical attention."

"Hey, Mom? Billy showed up." Mary absently wondered what sort of illegal maneuver her parents pulled to turn the car back around to get home. Sometimes her mom tended to drive like she was still street racing, which Mary had been told she did when she was younger. And then promptly forbid from doing.

"Fine," Billy sighed.

"Um, I wouldn't say he's fine. He's definitely been hurt-" Freddy pulled the phone away from his ear as the sound of Rosa's cussing could be heard as Victor tried desperately to calm her down. 

Well, they’d not be far off.

“Eugene, grab Billy’s legs.” Mary asked, moving to take Billy’s torso. “We’ll go into my room.”

Billy put up some resistance, but it was clear that they didn’t have the energy to fight them off, and as such they got Billy set up on Mary’s bed without too much hassle.

“Right, go out and help Pedro comfort Darla, I’ll handle this.” One of the last things she needed was for her siblings to see some terrible, gruesome scar on their sibling, so it was best to get Eugene out of the room. “I’ll call if I need help.”

"Okay," Eugene nodded then left, shutting the door behind him. Good, less chance of Darla trying to sneak in and seeing something she shouldn’t.

Once they were alone Mary waited as Billy took off their shirt and hoodie. Upon seeing their torso she gasped again. The bruising was faint but still a nasty shade of green and covered the left side of their torso.

"I'm sorry," Mary's voice shook slightly. Her hands trembled as she took in the scar which apparently ran all the way to their heart.

It was a single thing, one long marking that ran from the tips of Billy’s fingers, over their palm, past their wrist, and then wound its way up their arm. It forked off, small branches that jutted out from it for a short ways before stopping. And at their shoulder it turned towards Billy’s torso, reaching out like fingers towards their heart. And directly over Billy’s heart, resting there like a stamp, was a small, stylized lightning bolt shaped scar.

"What the  _ hell _ ," Mary stared at it. "Did that creepy dude do this to you?"

"Maybe," Billy said cautiously, having never heard that level of venom in Mary's tone before. "I mean, he struck me with lightning like six or seven times."

"I want to meet him," Mary decided.

“I, um… I think he died actually.” Billy told her, looking a bit better. “Before I got hit by lightning the last time, he looked like he was turning to dust… or something.”

"Good," Mary rarely wished harm on  _ anyone _ but people that hurt her family were an exception. "Mom and Dad'll be home soon and they'll want to look at you."

Billy looked even more alarmed but Mary sat next to them. "They just want to make sure you're okay," she said gently.

Billy didn’t say anything, but the look of wary acceptance was better than open fear at least.

It wasn't long before Victor and Rosa knocked on the door. "Can we come in?" Rosa called.

"Sure," Mary answered.

"Billy!" Rosa rushed to their side. "Oh my sweet baby, are you okay?"

"What happened?" Victor was staring wide-eyed at the scar and bruising. "That scar wasn't there before, was it?"

“They say that they got struck by lightning.” Mary explained. “Six times. By a wizard.”

"A wizard?" Rosa repeated. "There's a wizard in Fawcett that did  _ this _ to  _ my _ child?"

Billy had an odd look at what they were being called, but luckily kept their mouth shut. Rosa was upset enough without Billy’s affection related issues flaring up.

"Billy thinks he's dead," Mary informed them.

"Are you okay?" Victor looked like he wanted to hug Billy but thought better of it. "Maybe we should take you to a hospital and let them check you out."

“No!” Billy finally chipped in, another fearful look settling on their face. “No hospitals, I’ll be fine. It already feels better anyway.”

Rosa looked doubtful. "Only if you're sure but you start to feel worse then you're going, no questions."

“It really does feel better.” Billy promised, moving their arm a bit to demonstrate. “The pain is nearly gone now.”

"And there's something else," Mary added, ignoring the look that her sibling shot her. "Billy apparently has magic powers now."

Rosa blinked. "What did you say?"

Mary sighed. "They have magic. They were able to turn into an adult earlier then back again when they said a weird name. I think it was Shazam."

"Magic?" Victor repeated. "Our child has  _ magic _ ? Magic is  _ real? _ "

“Apparently.” Mary told him.

Rosa sat on the foot of the bed. "Magic," she repeated dazedly. "Can you show us?"

"I would," Billy sighed. "But the last time I did that I fell over and wound up here."

"Let's not," Victor said hastily. "I'm not at all sure what to do now. We've never had this problem before."

Rosa nodded. "Maybe we could find someone who knows magic or something. A superhero maybe." She was grasping at straws, clearly desperate for some answers.

"How about, for now, we just celebrate the fact that Billy’s home," Victor suggested. "We can figure things out tomorrow."

"Don't say that word tonight, please," Rosa warned. "Wait until one of us can be with you in case you get hurt again."

"Yes, ma'am," Billy nodded, still looking a bit overwhelmed. 

"Do you want Dad to carry you to your room?" Mary asked. "It'll probably be easier than climbing the stairs."

"Or you could just lean on me," Victor suggested.

"Are you hungry?" Rosa asked abruptly. "I can fix you something first. You might feel better on a full stomach."

Billy shrugged. "A sandwich would be fine," they mumbled.

"I'll make you one," Rosa left the room, shooing the other children from the door where they had been eavesdropping. 

"Come on, buddy, let's get you to the kitchen."

* * *

As the moon shone down on Fawcett City, casting moonlit shadows down upon the streets, a figure stood atop one of the skyscrapers.

The figure was an older man, dressed in simple dress pants and shirt, with a tweed jacket with patches on the elbows over the top of his shirt. His hair, a darker shade of blond that was greying slightly at the temples, was immaculate despite the cold wind that blew across the rooftop.

“You know, there’s a McDonalds not far from here. We could get a burger, and discuss this somewhere warm like civilized people.” A young voice came from behind the man.

The older man snorted. "There's nothing civilized about you, Klarion. Besides, rooftops are so much more dramatic, don't you agree?"

“If you want this to be dramatic, Kent, then I could bring up some nice rain, maybe a small thunderstorm.” Klarion the Witch Boy suggested, grinning mischievously. “I’m sure you’d appreciate some nicely timed thunder after a dramatic statement.”

"I should've worn my costume," Kent Nelson sighed. "I'm sure you know  _ why _ I called you here."

"The new Champion right?" Klarion inspected his nails. He absently removed one that he didn’t like, and fetched a new one from his pocket to replace it. "I was in another dimension when the geezer finally found someone, but this sounded interesting enough to warrant my personal attention.”

"Yes, this is about the Champion. It'll take me a little bit but I should be able to track them down. They're powerful but inexperienced and we don't need someone like that flying around and causing trouble."

“They’re not powerful.” Klarion disagreed, moving to sit in an armchair that hadn’t been there before. “That sort of power takes time to settle in blood and bones, to find a home in the soul. Whoever the old battleaxe picked will surely  _ become _ powerful, no doubt of that, but this soon? Unless they already had a good spark for it, they’ll barely be more than human.”

"Which is why I need to find them and soon. Every magical being is going to be headed for this place, so I need to find and train them quickly."

“... _ Every _ magical being?” Klarion repeated, leaning forward from his casual slouch in his seat, the barest hint of fear in his eyes. “All of them?”

"All of them," Kent confirmed.

“And when Teth-Adam comes to this place, which is only a matter of time now that the old man is dead, will Fate stand against him?” Klarion demanded.

Kent nodded. "I will, but if we want to have a prayer of defeating Teth-Adam, then the new Champion needs to be ready. And for that to happen they need to be trained."

“Who even  _ is _ the Champion? They must be impressive, considering  _ you _ were turned down for the position.” Klarion asked, leaning back in his seat. As he continued he reached up, grabbed at some of the moonlight and twisted it into a glass that filled itself with golden liquid. “Although, that may have more to do with Nabu than with you.”

"Maybe," Kent allowed. "Regardless, I'm going to need your help tracking them. They won't be radiating hardly any magic power right now so I could use your help. The two of us should be able to do it."

“Fine,” Klarion rolled his eyes, downing his apple juice and standing up. His seat disappeared as he walked away from it, and he tossed the empty glass over his shoulder where it seemed to fade back into the moonlight that he’d made it from, “So what exactly do you want me to do?”

"A distraction," Kent said. "Draw him out in the open and I'll take it from there."

“Sounds perfectly doable,” Klarion commented, grinning widely for a moment at the thought of what he would do, before pausing suddenly and turning to Kent, “But you’re forgetting something important: The boy scout’s town isn’t too far from here. What’s to say that Big Blue doesn’t get here first?”

"I'll take care of that," Kent waved his hand dismissively. "I'm a hero, it shouldn't be difficult to keep him occupied with hero talk. He especially likes to complain about Batman's paranoia."

“I thought he mostly complained about Lane only liking his hero persona?” Klarion checked. “He spent an hour on it the last time I pretended to be you.”

"Both are annoying," Kent groaned.

“So, what sort of distraction would you like?” Klarion checked. “Something simple, of course. Bringing a few bits from the local museum to life? Summoning up some minor demons? Just go crazy with transmutation? Or did you have something special in mind?”

"Whatever you can think of that won't actually  _ kill _ anyone."

“Yes,  _ Dad _ .” Klarion snarked.

"Tomorrow should be good. That way they'll at least figure out how to transform back and forth. I'll go take care of Superman.”

“I swear: If I have to attend one more meeting as you, only to hear that buffoon complain about his self imposed lack of love life, then I am going to out him to her myself.” Klarion threatened, glaring off in the direction of Metropolis briefly.

"I won't stop you and neither will anyone else."

“In that case, I have a distraction to plan. Maybe I can find a local myth to bring to life…” Klarion mused briefly. “Oh, one last thing: what am I to do after the Champion arrives? Want me to play with them a bit, or just leave so you can track them?”

"Whatever you want," Kent shrugged.

“Thanks.” Klarion gave the city one more look before turning to walk away.

Right off the edge of the building.

“Tell Mom that I won’t be home tonight.” He called as he walked the sky, grabbing thin air and turning his hand a bit. There was a faint  _ click _ as Klarion opened a chunk of the sky like it was a door and walked through it. “I’ve got prep work to do.”

Kent simply rolled his eyes as the sky-door closed itself, leaving not even a seam in the skyline.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Klarion the Witch Boy has entered the chat.
> 
> Threats of kidnapping, passionate Spanish, genuine discussion, and all other sorts of things are welcome down in the comments.


	10. Chill Out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Billy could try and fight it,” Freddy chipped in.
> 
> "Excuse me?!" Billy's voice was even more high-pitched than on their more 'female' days. "Why should I do that?"
> 
> "Because you have powers," Freddy rolled his eyes. "It's kind of a requirement that you go and fight evil."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Double Feature! To be clear, this is the second of two chapter today, so make sure you read Chapter 9.
> 
> Link to the Rock of Eternity, for Billy Batson fics: (https://discord.gg/C6jSt8FS96)

Klarion stood in a park, looking at the snow on the ground. This late into the year it wasn’t unusual, and a long night of prep-work ensured that he had more than enough for his distraction.

Weather manipulation wasn’t his usual thing, he wasn’t very good at it to be honest, but he could manage a bit of snow if he had a few hours to work on it. And the work he’d put in was going to be worth it, especially if the Champion turned up to challenge.

He smiled mischievously as he grasped at nothing, pulling a short wooden stick from the air next to him. It was a nice decoration, something that he’d use to test the Champion. A bit of acting would give the illusion that the “wand” was a conduit of his powers, and if the Champion was half as smart as they were supposed to be, then they’d try and take it from him.

He held the faux-wand out, pointing it at the snow before him.

“Arise.”

* * *

It was a quiet morning after the revelations of Billy’s newfound powers.

No one was entirely sure what to say about it, and Billy didn’t seem too interested in talking at all. Not that Rosa was in a rush to make them, not after getting that scar.

The family was sitting in the living room, trying to avoid asking any of the questions that they surely had. Rosa barely paid attention to whatever was on the TV, too focused on trying to work out how she could help Billy with this latest problem.

She was, admittedly, completely out of her depth. But she was determined to do  _ something _ . She had already promised to help Billy to the best of her abilities, and she wasn’t going to let magic stop her from fulfilling that promise.

Now if only she knew  _ how _ to help with  _ magic _ .

“Um… Mom?” Eugene called, drawing her attention to him. He was still staring at the screen, and when she turned to see what he was looking at she saw that a breaking news bulletin had interrupted whatever had been on. The screen showed what was a powerpoint from what looked like a handheld camera, if the way it shook was any indication. The shot was from a low angle, like the cameraman was crouching down, and she had just long enough to wonder why when she saw it.

“Is, is that… is that a  _ dragon?” _ She asked, spotting a large shape fly through the sky. No wonder the cameraman was crouching down, they were probably trying to hide from what appeared to be a real life dragon.

She admired their loyalty to their job at least, not just anyone would approach a  _ dragon _ in order to get footage of it.

"Is Superman going to come, Mommy?" Darla asked eagerly.

"I...don't know," Rosa answered. "Maybe."

"He could be busy somewhere else," Eugene pointed out 

“Billy could try and fight it,” Freddy chipped in.

"Excuse me?!" Billy's voice was even more high-pitched than on their more 'female' days. "Why should I do that?"

"Because you have powers," Freddy rolled his eyes. "It's kind of a requirement that you go and fight evil."

“I don’t even know how to  _ use _ any powers I have!” Billy refuted. “And the last time I did anything related to them I nearly passed out and had to be carried to Mary’s bed!”

"Not to mention it's  _ dangerous _ ," Victor added. "And I for one don't feel comfortable sending one of our children to fight a  _ dragon _ ."

Rosa spotted Billy get that strange look on their face, the same that they got whenever anyone included them as a member of the family. She and Victor would need to have a talk with them about that later, about how they  _ were _ a part of the family now, but there were more pressing concerns.

"It's his  _ destiny _ ," Freddy protested. "Isn't that what that creepy cave dude said?"

Billy froze when Freddy turned to look at them. "Well yes, he did say that, but still."

"He also gave Billy a  _ scar _ ," Mary added. "I don't think we should trust him."

“And he didn’t exactly stop to  _ explain anything!” _ Billy continued. “Even if I wanted to help, I don’t know how! What am I supposed to do? Just go out there and hope that any powers I have just… happen?!”

Rosa sighed as her children devolved into an argument, their voices getting louder. "Quiet!"

“...you’re going to let people get hurt?” And there was the previously silent Darla, giving her thoughts on the matter. Her words caused a conflicted look to cross Billy’s face, and Rosa could see them struggling to decide what to do. And she could empathize, Darla was hard to fight sometimes.

"Yeah," Freddy chimed in. "It's kind of your responsibility…" his voice trailed off as Rosa glared at him.

“Again, I have to point out,” Billy said, still looking conflicted, “I don’t know how to use any powers I have. For all we know I could make things worse.”

"Or you could fix everything," Freddy argued.

"I can't believe we're arguing about something like this," Pedro sighed. "And here I thought having five siblings would be all the excitement I'd ever have."

"But what if your mom is there?" Freddy argued. "For all you know she could be there and is in danger."

Billy blinked for a second, looked even more conflicted, then said, "Fine. Fine, I'll go."

Victor groaned and Rosa sighed heavily. "I'm driving and you're going to be very careful. Understood?"

"Yay!" Darla cheered. "I get to see a dragon!"

“ That is  _ so _ not the takeaway you should have from this discussion.” Rosa heard Eugene mutter as they all stood up.

* * *

Billy looked up at the dragon that was flying about above them as he climbed out of the van. He could not believe that Freddy had talked him into this.

“So, before I go off and fight a  _ dragon _ , does anyone have any ideas on how I do that?” He checked, turning back to the others.

Why they’d  _ all _ decided to come was beyond him, but they were here now.

“Don’t get set on fire.” Was Freddy’s helpful suggestion.

“Watch out for the claws.” Was Pedro’s far more welcome contribution. “And the tail.”

"Stay away from the mouth," Mary added. "Those teeth look really sharp."

"Give it a hug!" Darla chirped.

“Okay, so… somehow avoid half the dragon while fighting it. And, if possible, hug it. Right.” Billy muttered to himself, turning his attention back to the flying lizard.

This was going to suck, he just knew it.

"Shazam!" The bolt struck down like before, and Billy could feel it filling up every part of him. He felt  _ amazing _ , like every part of him was bursting with energy. He could feel his new scar burn for a moment, in a strange way that didn’t actually hurt him, and when he opened his eyes again he was once more in the larger, stronger form that the creepy wizard had given him.

"Finally," a voice called out and Billy looked up. High atop the dragon that was now flying straight towards him was a teenager wearing a suit with his hair in the shape of horns. 

“You know, maybe the giant lightning bolt is a bit obvious.” Billy heard someone behind him comment, but he was too focused on the dragon to pay attention to the others. Luckily the giant beast, which on closer inspection looked like it was made from  _ snow _ of all things, came to a stop before the family.

"I was beginning to think you weren't going to show up and that I was just wasting my time. The name's Klarion Nelson by the way, the Personification of Chaos." The dragon riding teenager sounded proper, like he was introducing himself to some dignitary or to royalty. He even  _ bowed _ .

And once again Billy had to wonder how people made capital letters audible, because he was starting to get sick of it. Maybe it was just a magic thing...

“Um… hi.” Billy called up, awkwardly returning the bow. "I don't think I want you to know my real name so I'm not going to tell you."

“Oh, that’s fine.” Klarion Nelson shrugged. “I don’t need your name, Champion. I came for something far more interesting.”

"What's that?" Billy wasn't sure if this was how crime fighting worked but he was new to it.

“Fun.” And with that, and a dramatic flick of a wand that the teen was holding, the dragon sprung into motion. The snow dragon, which looked like it walked off the set of a fantasy film (besides being made of snow of course), grabbed Billy in its mouth and took off into the sky.

Billy screamed- _ yelped _ as he was snatched up and taken to the air. He scrambled to think about what he could do before he got eaten by the lizard. Luckily Mary wasn’t entirely right about the teeth, the ice that they were made of actually didn’t hurt  _ too  _ much, so he could focus a bit.

“Okay, okay… what did the creepy wizard say when he was throwing lightning bolts at me?” He asked himself, scrambling to remember what his supposed powers were. Speed, wisdom, stamina… strength! He was meant to be strong!

Bracing himself as well as he could, which was not easy when held in the maw of the giant dragon, Billy managed to get some leverage and  _ pushed _ . It was hard, and he could hear ice grinding against ice in a way that put his teeth on edge, but he managed to push the massive jaw open enough to slip out of it.

Straight into the open air.

Okay, new problem: he was currently falling to his death. He could fix that. Probably. Maybe. Hopefully.

As Billy ragdolled through the air he saw the dragon take a long looping path through the sky to circle back around to him.

"I am  _ not _ getting back in your mouth!" He shouted, thinking quickly. "But I  _ am _ going to catch a ride." It took a little maneuvering (and some praying) but he managed to grab hold of one of the claws. It was slippery and sharp, due to it also being made of ice, but he clung to it stubbornly.

As he tried to hold on, and the dragon began doing some  _ really annoying  _ acrobatics to get him off, he tried to remember the rest of what the wizard had said. Stamina wasn’t very helpful here beyond helping him hold on, strength may be helpful, he wasn’t sure what he could do with speed, wisdom was apparently out to lunch judging by how bad this was going… what were the last two? Courage? That was what got him  _ into _ this situation, so it wasn’t being very helpful.

“Is that all the power you’ve got?” The apparent Personification of Chaos shouted down, sounding genuinely upset. “Some big muscles?”

Power! That was the last one! Power of…. Zeus! That was it! Okay, now all he had to do was work out what the hell that actually meant and how to use it. Which was easier said than done.

But Zeus...wasn't he the lightning guy he had heard Freddy gushing about one night? And the wizard had used lightning to give him these powers, hell he activated his powers by  _ calling _ lightning to strike him. So maybe...maybe he could use it as a weapon!

Somehow.

Now that he was paying attention he could still see small sparks of electricity dancing on his fingertips. And he had been filled with energy when he’d been  _ struck _ by lightning to power up. Surely he could figure out how to use it some other way.

Well, he could still feel that energy, which he was starting to think was more lightning, inside him, so if he just tried to use that…

The snow dragon’s front leg exploded when a large bolt of lightning blasted up and through its shoulder.

Unfortunately, Billy could not celebrate this as he was now, once again, falling from the sky.

And, even more unfortunately for Billy, there was no convenient dragon to grab. Which meant that, unless he worked out how to fly in the next five seconds, he was going to hit the ground.

Bad news: Billy did not learn to fly in the next five seconds, and as such hit the ground.

Good news: While it was painful, he wasn’t dead.

“Ow…” He grumbled as he pulled himself up. He was sore all over, but it didn’t feel like anything was broken, so he was going to call that a win.

"Aw, you lived," Klarion sounded disappointed as he landed, albeit on his feet and still clutching his wand. "Oh well. At least we can still have fun," he cackled.

"I don't like your idea of fun," Billy called. "It sucks."

"Well it's fun for me," Klarion raised the wand and the dragon's leg magically reappeared as it landed behind the teen.

"Fuck," Billy cursed. "Why did I let myself get talked into this?"

"Because you’re an idiot.” Klarion gleefully informed him. “Actually, let’s try something... different.”

Another flick of the wrist, and the dragon broke apart and reformed as a group of what looked like medieval knights, armed with crossbows made of ice.

“Try dodging this.” Was all the warning Billy got before a near literal hail of bolts was fired at him.

Billy closed his eyes and prayed that the arrows didn't kill him before taking off running towards a nearby tree. It hadn't been decorated yet and it didn't look like it would survive that long. 

Either he was faster than he thought or Klarion was a terrible shot as only a few arrows hit him and even then they bounced off mostly harmlessly. He  _ felt _ them, sure, but he’d be hard pressed to say that they really  _ hurt _ .

“Well, well, well. You are  _ fast _ , aren’t you?” Klarion mocked before turning in another direction. “Are they?”

Billy stared in horror as the snow knights took aim at where the Vasquez van was visible across the park.

“NO!” Billy shouted, running at the snowmen.

“Oh, too bad.” He heard Klarion drawl as the bolts were fired a second before Billy crashed through a few of the crossbowmen.

* * *

“...I mean, I love her, but she doesn’t love  _ me!” _ Clark whined. Not that that was the word Clark would use, but Kent was calling it that. The two were currently sitting in Clark’s apartment, eating some pizza that they’d ordered from down the road, and having a talk about their lives.

Well, Clark was talking about his life, Kent was just hoping that Klarion would cover for him at the next meeting, because there was only so much of this he could take at a time.

“Clark, she’s in love with Superman.” He pointed out. “And, just to make sure you remember this fact:  _ you’re _ Superman.”

"But she doesn't  _ know _ ," Clark pointed out. "I want to love me for  _ me, _ and not Superman."

“Then tell her the truth!” He tried not to shout, he really did, but Clark had been on about this for over a year now, and Kent’s patience was wearing a bit thin.

_ Everyone's  _ patience was wearing thin, including the patience of Lois Lane herself. As far as Kent was aware, she’d figured it all out months ago and was waiting for Clark to tell her himself.

Actually, come to think of it, the date she had chosen in the betting pool about Clark revealing his identity was coming up…

“But I can’t. She’d be in danger!”

"Clark, she was held for ransom last week because they knew you'd come after her. She's already in danger."

“But what if…” Clark started up again.

Kent settled back to listen to more of Clark’s whining, trying to comfort himself in the knowledge that he’d be meeting the new Champion soon.

As long as Klarion didn’t go off the rails and  _ really _ fuck things up with the new Champion, then things should be just fine.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To be clear: Klarion isn't evil, he's just a jackass. I promise, he'll come around to the forces of good... ish. About as close as the little chaos gremlin can get.
> 
> Klarion: I promise I won't kill anyone.
> 
> Also Klarion: SHOOT THE CIVILIANS!
> 
> Threats of kidnapping, passionate Spanish, genuine discussion, and all other sorts of things are welcome down in the comments.


	11. Hostage Situation (but not really)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, Pat! Klarion reads your comments, and decided to follow your example and kidnap a bean child.
> 
> Rock of Eternity Link, for more of Billy Batson: (https://discord.gg/C6jSt8FS96)
> 
> Anyway, this chapter truly marks the start of the wider world of this fic, and it's the best place to explain what we're doing. This is not solely the movie version of events, this is a bit of a mix and match of things. If we like something from the comics? We're going to try and work it in. That's why we've talked about bringing in characters from Young Justice (for example), because we like those things and wanted to use them.
> 
> So don't be surprised to see stuff that isn't from the film.

Darla flinched back as she saw the spikes flying at them, closing her eyes and trying to hide behind Eugene before she got hit.

Luckily Billy was suddenly there, and she could hear the ice as it shattered against his well muscled chest, little fragments hitting the van.

“This is between you and me,” She heard Billy call, “There’s no need to involve them.”

“Au contraire,” The magical teen said from  _ behind them _ . Darla turned, and found herself face to face with the boy that was controlling the dragon, “They’re involved because you care about them.”

"I don't!" Billy protested. "I just needed a ride here, that's all." 

“Wow, you  _ are _ new,” The other teen sounded shocked, “You’re the Guardian of All Magic! You don’t need a  _ ride _ , you uncreative moron. You can  _ fly!” _

"I knew it!" Freddy cried triumphantly before Mom shushed him.

“What sort of idiot did that old geezer choose?” Darla heard the boy mutter to himself as he pinched his nose. “Seriously, he could have at least chosen someone with magical knowledge. Constantine, one of the Zataras, or literally anyone with some imagination.”

"He also could've  _ not _ given me a huge scar or zapped me with lightning so much," Billy snapped. "He seemed like a lunatic."

“I met him, he kind of was.” The young wizard agreed as he shrugged. “Anyway… want to get back to the fight?”

"Not really," Billy sighed. "But if it makes you leave faster, sure."

“In that case, I’m taking a hostage.” The teen said, dashing forward to grab Darla’s wrist. “Bubye!”

There was a strange moment that made Darla feel carsick, and when it passed she nearly fell over.

“Easy there kid, you’ll be okay.” The villain said, patting her on the back. “Deep breaths, it’ll pass.”

"Where am I?" She asked, not seeing her family near her.

“We're at the other side of the park, your family is  _ that _ way,” He said, pointing off to the side where a large pond was. “And don’t worry, you'll be fine. I just kidnapped you for awhile."

"That's not very nice," Darla scolded.

He laughed. "I'm a Lord of  _ Chaos _ , I'm the opposite of good. You can call me Klarion by the way."

"Darla," she held out her hand the way her parents did when running into people and he took it, his lips quirking up in a grin.

"I'm not going to hurt you, I just needed to get your...brother's attention. He is your brother, right?"

Darla nodded. "He pretends not to be but he is. He's just really new at being part of a family."

Klarion looked wistful for a second then straightened. "You'll be safe up here."

Darla blinked then looked down, finally realizing that she was in a tower made of ice but she wasn't cold. "Ooh, I want a princess dress," she decided. 

Klarion snorted. "Your wish is my command, oh fair princess." He told her, tapping her on the nose with one finger, causing Darla to blink. When she looked down she was wearing a bright blue, sparkly dress.

"I love it," Darla squealed then gave Klarion a hug. He looked like he needed one plus he was fixing to go and fight Billy, he would need all the energy he could. She wished she had time to hug Billy too but she could see him running closer to the tower, a wave of snow being kicked up behind him, and Klarion had a strange look on his face.

"See you later, squirt," he ruffled her hair then disappeared only to reappear atop the dragon that swooped by.

Darla watched as Billy jumped at the dragon, punching it so hard that it exploded into snow and ice. With nothing else to do while waiting to be rescued, Darla simply decided to watch the fight.

Klarion laughed as he made the snow turn back into his dragon, which soon started attacking Billy again. She watched as her superhero brother fought to save her, which she couldn’t help but smile at.

Billy might have kept saying that they weren’t family, but he seemed to be fighting pretty hard to get to her. She knew that he’d come around eventually, when he finally stopped thinking so much. Sooner or later he’d stop thinking so much, and realize that they weren’t going to leave him alone or hurt him.

She wanted to meet Billy's mom and tell her off for being such a bad mother. At least he had a better Mom now though.

Klarion eventually returned, appearing next to her at the window while Billy fought… well, it  _ had _ been a dragon, but now it was a giant octopus made of snow.

“I think it’s about time to give up,” Klarion said, “What do you think?”

Darla hummed. "I'm bored," she decided. "Give up so we can go get some lunch. I'm  _ starving _ ."

“I could get you some food, but alright then.” Klarion waved his wand a bit, causing the giant snow octopus to fall apart like regular snow. With nothing to fight Billy started running straight towards the tower to save her. “There’s a slide that goes all the way to the bottom out the back door.”

"Cool," Darla's eyes lit up and she ran to check it out. "Can I keep my dress?"

“Sorry, it’s only temporary. I’ll make you a permanent one the next time I’m in town.” He promised. “But, until then, I best go and properly give up.”

"Bye," Darla waved then hopped on the slide which spun around the entire tower on the way down, and ended in a giant pile of snow. She screamed with delight as she slid down, waving her hands in the air. This was  _ awesome _ !

“WOOO!” Darla heard, turning to see Klarion slide down behind her on his feet.

“Alright then, I want to surrender!” He called when they finally reached the bottom, holding up his arms as he spoke. “So, Mister Champion, shall we call this a draw?”

“...Okay?” Billy replied, looking confused.

“Okay, with that sorted, I best be off.” Klarion informed them, lowering his hands to clap once. The sound of it echoed for a moment, and Darla could feel her new dress fading away. Turning down showed that she was, luckily, still wearing her clothes, but her new pretty dress breaking apart into snowflakes.

And, behind her, she could see the entire tower doing the same thing. Well that sucked, she had  _ liked _ that dress, and she wanted another go on the slide.

“Best be off?” Billy repeated, “You’re not going anywhere.”

“Sure I am.” Klarion cheerfully said. “Oh, one last thing before I go: be careful of the Central focal point, Champ. It can break in a Flash.”

“What?” Billy demanded, looking about as confused as Darla felt.

“Goodbye princess.”

And then Klarion tipped over backwards, hitting the pile of snow behind him. When he hit it the snow blew up in a big cloud, causing Darla to close her eyes when it came at her. When she opened them she saw that Klarion was gone, with no sign of the dragon-turned-octopus, the tower, or even her dress.

“Well…” She heard Billy mutter, “That… happened.”

"That was fun," Darla grinned. "Can we do it again?"

“Maybe later.”

* * *

After Billy powered down and went home, the family sat back down in the living room.

Eugene looked at his new brother, trying to see how Billy was doing after his fight. He looked fine, if a bit stiff in his movements. But there were no bruises, no cuts, no more new scars, so Eugene was inclined to assume that Billy was okay for the most part.

“Why did I let you talk me into that, Freddy?” Billy asked, turning to glare at Freddy. “I fell on my face from fifty feet up.”

"But you didn't die," Freddy's eyes were practically shining. "And according to Klarion you can  _ fly _ ."

“Yeah, because the guy that kidnapped Darla is trustworthy.” Eugene chipped in. He was excited that Billy was apparently a superhero now, and would do what he could to help, but he felt that Freddy needed to take a step back and look at this situation again.

Because things had very nearly gone  _ terrifyingly _ bad. It was only because the other boy, Klarion apparently, seemed more interested in having fun than hurting people. If he’d been just a little more evil…

Well, he didn’t think that Freddy was appreciating just how close they had come to Darla getting hurt or worse.

"He was nice," Darla grinned.

“Right.” He heard Dad sigh, and when he turned he saw that both his parents had a complicated, if familiar look on their faces.

It was their “we’re going to have to have a very serious talk” faces. Which, admittedly, were warranted, because Darla seemed to have no sense of stranger danger. Well, at least he’d probably not be involved in it.

He had his research to get back to after all, he had found a possible lead on Billy’s bio-mom, and he was hoping to find some concrete evidence to give to Billy soon.

She might not be a good mother, but Billy seemed determined to find her. Eugene was hoping that after the two of them talked Billy was going to settle in a lot more and be a real member of the family.

It would probably break him, if she denied Billy again, but Eugene was confident that he would recover.

They’d be there if it came to that.

“We just need to find a way to test your powers.” Freddy insisted. “If you  _ can _ fly, we’ll just have to work out how.”

"Dude, if falling fifty feet isn't going to jumpstart that, then what will? Actually, don't answer that. I am  _ not _ jumping off a skyscraper or something. I have this thing where I like breathing."

“Well, maybe you can find another superhero and ask them?” Darla chipped in. “You’re a superhero now, right? So they could help.”

“I am not going to go bother Superman for flying lessons.” Billy refuted. “He’s got more important things to do than teach some random kid how to fly.”

"That sounds dangerous," Mom said nervously. "But he might know some other magic users that could help you. I'm not thrilled about the superpowers, but if you want to use them then I insist on you getting some training."

“Yeah, I’m going to have to agree on that. If you want to do this superhero thing, then we’re going to have a long talk about it.” Dad agreed, turning to give Billy the same look that he’d been giving Darla.

Two important talks in one day, been a while since that had happened.

"And where am I going to find another wizard or whatever?" Billy demanded. "It's not like one is just going to knock on the door and offer to teach me."

It was at this moment that the family was treated to the sound of someone knocking loudly on the front door.

“Hold on!” Mom called, moving to answer it. Eugene, out of morbid curiosity, decided to follow and see who was visiting.

The man on the step looked like he had just walked out of a classroom, he even had a jacket with patches on the elbows. He looked older than Eugene’s parents, with a bit of grey in his hair, but his eyes showed the same sort of intellect that Eugene was used to seeing in Pedro or the other smart kids.

“Hello, my name is Kent Nelson. I’d like to offer my services.” The man said, grinning politely.

“And what services are those?” Mom demanded, looking ready to slam the door in his face like she usually did with door-to-door salesmen.

“I can teach magic.” They were informed.

* * *

Hidden away in a cave, deep beneath the surface, a man sat back in his chair and looked at the large monitor before him. He watched the footage again, for the sixth time so far, and considered his options.

A new “superhero” by the looks of it, one that was inexperienced. They had done well against the snow commanding foe, even if it was obvious that they’d been making it up as they went, like they hadn’t known what powers they had until they’d used them.

Very,  _ very _ inexperienced.

“I think a trip to Fawcett is in order,” The man spoke, standing up from his seat to finish the preparations for the night’s activities that he’d paused when he got the notice about the newcomer. It would take a few days to arrange it, for him to find a seemingly natural reason to be there, but it wouldn’t take very long at all, “I want to know more about this man, before he gets someone hurt.”

“Very well sir. Shall I make preparations for the penthouse to be cleaned?”

“Yes please. I don’t expect to stay long, but it may take a few days to find him. Call me if anything new about this man comes to light.” And with that he climbed into his car, doing the last minute checks before he set off.

“Of course sir.”

And with that the Batman sped from his base, ready to terrorize the criminal scum of Gotham’s streets.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To be clear: this fic is not Klarion/Darla, he just finds her kind of cute and has a soft spot for her. Not that he'll admit it, but he likes her in a purely platonic way.
> 
> And yes, that's Batman at the end. He plays an important part later on, but we wanted to introduce him now.
> 
> Comments, threats of kidnapping, Spanish shouting, and general chit-chat are all welcome down in the comments or on Discord.


	12. “You’re a wizard, William.”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “It’s an old family name.” Doctor Nelson said, not looking the least bit concerned at the barely hidden accusation in Billy’s voice.
> 
> “Met someone else with that name just recently.” Billy continued, and Victor once more felt himself shifting, needing to do… something. Maybe force this supposed doctor to leave if things went bad, but he wasn’t sure.
> 
> “Oh yes?” Doctor Nelson sounded genuinely curious at the topic.
> 
> “Said his name was Klarion Nelson.” Billy’s words caused a complicated, and mostly annoyed, look to pass over Doctor Nelson’s face. He closed his eyes, pinched his nose, and breathed deeply for a moment.
> 
> “That… brat.” Victor could hear him mutter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Slow chapter today, mostly just explanations on magic, and Billy learning a bit of what they can do. Don't worry, there's more interesting stuff coming.
> 
> Rock of Eternity Link, if you want more Billy Batson: (https://discord.gg/C6jSt8FS96)
> 
> I think we mentioned it before, but I want to repeat it: "An Escape Artist's Last Chance" is part of a series. "Finding Home" is linked at the top of the page, and you can subscribe to that for notifications when we do side stories, sequels, bonus scenes, etc. This story will stand on its own, but we're planning some other stuff on the side that will be in the same universe, as well as at least one sequel.

Victor looked up when Rosa and Eugene came back in, a stranger following them.

He looked nearly cliche, with his greying hair and tweed jacket, like he was playing a history teacher in a movie and had just walked off the set. He smiled politely at the family, clearly looking over those assembled.

Victor shifted a bit when he saw that the stranger seemed to focus on Billy.

“Ah, hello there.” He sounded calm, his voice carrying the barest hint of an accent that Victor couldn’t place. “My name is Doctor Kent Nelson, and I wish to teach you to do magic.”

"Magic?" Victor repeated, standing to his feet. "What makes you think we need a magic teacher?" He subtly stepped closer to Billy, not liking that Doctor Nelson was staring at them.

“Doctor  _ Nelson?” _ Billy asked, staring back. “Nice name.”

“It’s an old family name.” Doctor Nelson said, not looking the least bit concerned at the barely hidden accusation in Billy’s voice.

“Met someone else with that name just recently.” Billy continued, and Victor once more felt himself shifting, needing to do… something. Maybe force this supposed doctor to leave if things went bad, but he wasn’t sure.

“Oh yes?” Doctor Nelson sounded genuinely curious at the topic.

“Said his name was Klarion Nelson.” Billy’s words caused a complicated, and mostly annoyed, look to pass over Doctor Nelson’s face. He closed his eyes, pinched his nose, and breathed deeply for a moment.

“That… brat.” Victor could hear him mutter.

"Is he related or something?" Billy stood.

“He’s my… ward of sorts.” Nelson admitted, sounding more annoyed by the second.

Victor felt an instant kinship with the man. He must have been a Saint to foster the teenager from the park, and still keep him even after all the trouble he had caused.

“But we are getting off track. Allow me to put this in the simplest terms that I can.” Doctor Nelson moved to stand in front of Billy, drawing himself as if being taller would make whatever he said next sound more impressive. “You’re a wizard, William.”

There was silence for a moment, before Freddy and Eugene cackled as Rosa sighed heavily.

"Kind of figured that," Billy snarled. "The whole lightning and turning into an adult kind of hinted at it."

“Here’s a tip: ask for proof before you give up such information. You didn’t even test if I could do what I said I could.” The doctor didn’t even seem phased by the clear anger that Billy was emanating, or by Billy’s actual words.

"Excuse me," Rosa interrupted the argument before it could begin. "Why did you come here?"

“As I said, I can teach William to harness the abilities that he was given. Knowing what I do of the Wizard Shazam, I take it that any explanation you were given was… quite lacking?” Doctor Nelson checked, sounding like he knew the answer already.

"There was no explanation," Billy grumbled. "He just told me to say his name and zapped me. I've got a huge scar now."

“Scar?” And the polite mask that the doctor had been wearing broke, revealing a look of clear disdain, “The transfer of powers could easily be done without permanent tissue damage. It would take a few more minutes to safely transfer the power, but it is easily doable without leaving a  _ scar _ .”

Rosa snarled and muttered what sounded suspiciously like several curses before smiling at Doctor Nelson. "Do you mean my child any harm? Because if you do I will kill you. If Billy agrees you can teach them magic but only if one of us is present."

“No serious or permanent harm would befall William under my tutelage, that I can assure you. He may possibly become mildly bruised or sore, but it would be nothing that a bit of rest wouldn’t cure. Anything more than that I can easily mend.” They were assured.

"Billy?" Victor turned to look at them. "It's your decision, buddy. No one else's," he added with a stern look at Freddy.

“...can you prove that you can do magic?” Billy checked, causing a smile to cross Doctor Nelson’s face.

“Easily.” And with that the man reached out to the side, grasping as if he was taking a hold of something, and then pulling his hand back.

He then held out the briefcase that he’d just pulled out of the air in front of him for inspection.

“Will that suffice? Or did you have something specific in mind?” While it wasn’t on his face, there was a clear smirk in Nelson’s voice.

"That works," Billy's eyes were wide.

Victor was more than happy to admit that he too was in awe of the doctor. Maybe, if nothing else, he could help Billy with their magic until he at least got a clear handle on it. Now all he had to do was keep Freddy away from him or he would end up with  _ two _ magic users in the house. 

He was feeling out his depth already, he didn’t need more stress right now.

"So?" Nelson looked at them expectantly.

Billy looked at Victor and Rosa who smiled and nodded then slowly nodded. "I guess you can teach me," they didn't sound very enthused but anything was better than nothing.

“Then, perhaps, we could discuss what your lessons would entail?”

And that was how the Vasquez family ended up playing host for a wizard.

* * *

Rosa looked up at the old, abandoned building that Doctor Nelson had selected for Billy’s lessons. For obvious reasons they decided to do this away from their home, and Billy wasn’t willing to go with Doctor Nelson to his home for the lessons, so a neutral ground was selected.

Doctor Nelson himself was inside, sitting on a leather armchair and reading a book in the middle of a large open room. He seemed perfectly at home in the grubby old place, not a single hair out of position, and Rosa briefly had the thought that the man would have looked perfectly at home in a library.

“Ah, Misses Vasquez, William, thank you for arriving on time.” He greeted, placing his book on the air next to him as if it was a shelf. He rose from his seat, walking over to the two of them, smiling politely.

She had to admit, he was professional at least. Only a few times so far had she seen the doctor look anything besides the very picture of a polite teacher. She suspected that it was more of an act than not, but she didn’t much mind.

There was a brief exchange of pleasantries, and before long the topic turned to Billy’s magical lessons.

“We shall cover the absolute basics today, so that we can build the proper framework for the more complicated subjects later.” Doctor Nelson began, turning back towards his seat. “But, as a teaser for what you can look forward to…”

He held out a hand, cloaked in a golden glow, and a second later the chair and book gained a similar glow. And them, before her very eyes, the chair and book simply faded away to nothing.

"Gee, I can't wait to make books appear and disappear," Billy rolled their eyes.

"Billy," Rosa said warningly. "Doctor Nelson is being nice and teaching you this stuff. Please be polite."

“Well, if you would rather I display something more impressive,” The doctor began, looking just like her teachers had when they were gearing up for a memorable lesson, “Then please transform. Your other form has more affinity for magic, something that will likely change as your body adapts to the energies, so we shall practice using that for the immediate future.”

"Okay," Billy shrugged then stepped back from Rosa. "Shazam!"

The bolt, when it came, seemed to materialize from thin air. It shot down from somewhere near the ceiling, aimed straight at Billy.

Which is why Rosa was shocked when it never reached him.

“Lesson one: your lightning bolt takes time to reach you.” Doctor Nelson lectured. When Rosa turned to him she could see that he was once more holding out a hand, the same golden glow surrounding it. Turning back to where the bolt was revealed what appeared to be a large glass sphere, easily ten feet in diameter, that was filled with sparking electricity.

"Cool," Billy breathed. "That's wicked. How'd you do that? How do I get it back?"

“If you wanted to breach that sphere you could use your own magic to counter it,” Nelson said, “But the far simpler solution is to simply say the word again. The sphere was made to hold  _ one _ of your bolts. So what do you assume would happen if a second one were to strike it unexpectedly?”

"It would shatter?" Billy suggested. 

“Very good. Magical or not, that is electricity. And, like any system designed to hold electricity, there is a limit to how much it can hold before overloading.” Here Nelson paused for a moment, before allowing a small smirk to cross his features. “Of course, there is a way that I could counter such a thing.”

He rotated his extended hand slightly, and an opening in the sphere appeared, allowing the lightning to be released, causing it harmlessly strike the ground thirty feet away from where Billy was standing.

“As to how I did it, the most basics of magic are built on a simple idea: thought given form. I thought of what I wanted to happen, gave it power, and made it so.” The lecture continued.

Rosa had already developed a headache and Billy looked like they were getting one too. "Doctor Nelson," she began. "I hate to interrupt your lesson, but could you please either dumb it down or make it more interesting because neither one of us can understand you."

“My apologies. The real lessons will be easier to follow, I promise, but I felt it best to nip any arrogance or delusions to my power in the bud. A simple display of my skill seemed the easiest way to prove why  _ I _ am the one giving the lesson, and to interest William in what he will eventually learn.” Doctor Nelson promised, sounding a little remorseful.

"Thank you," Rosa said gratefully and Billy nodded. "I don't doubt that you're the best, but I know teenagers don't have the best attention spans."

"That is true," Doctor Nelson sighed. "Klarion certainly doesn't."

“So… what’s Klarion’s deal anyway?” Billy asked.

“He is a powerful mage, one that specializes in manipulating chaotic forces.” They were told, and even Rosa could tell that they were being given the abridged version. “I took him under my wing some years ago, and have done my best to curtail his… wilder impulses.”

"How's that working out?" Billy asked sarcastically.

“Better than you’d think.” Doctor Nelson informed them, smiling briefly at the thought of his kid. He may not have actually called Klarion that, but Rosa knew how to spot a parent. “He was once much worse than you’ve seen.”

Rosa blanched. "Worse than kidnapping my youngest daughter and fighting my newest child? Thank heavens we didn't meet him earlier."

“If it makes you feel better,” Even Nelson looked a bit worn out at the thought of what Klarion had done, “Your children were perfectly safe. Klarion fears my wife far too much to actually harm anyone in a serious manner. She would be most… displeased.”

"Tell her I said thank you," Rosa smiled.

“Yeah, nice.” Billy chipped in. “But I think we came here for something more important than the fact that Klarion used to be even worse.”

“True, true. Now then, if you would say the word again, I promise not to interrupt this time.” Doctor Nelson asked, turning his attention back to Billy.

"Okay," Billy looked unsure but did as they were told. "Shazam."

Once more the bolt came, and true to the doctor’s word it struck true this time. And, once more, Rosa was treated to the sight of the large, muscled man that her newest child had become.

"Cool, it worked," Billy grinned.

“Now then, what would you like to learn first? How to harness your magic? Flight? How to control your strength?” Nelson asked. “Or did you have something in mind?”

Billy looked overwhelmed. "Um, whatever you want."

“Don’t worry, we’ll have more than enough time for me to teach you everything. It will take more than a single day, but I will do my best to impart all the knowledge and skills you desire.” The wizard told Billy. “But, if you are having trouble choosing, what do you think would be the most useful for you to learn right now?”

Billy hesitated then said, "Super strength so I can beat up the Breyers."

“I do not think that would be an appropriate use of your gifts, William.” Nelson said, looking and sounding quite disapproving.

"Agreed, even though that would be satisfying," Rosa told them. "Flying would be useful so we don't have to drive you to every crime scene in case we're not around and you want to keep fighting crime."

“Flight then?” Nelson checked. “If you intend to help people, then it may be the best choice.”

“Yeah, okay.” Billy allowed. “Teach me to fly.”

“Alright then. There is an energy within you, the same that you used when you used lightning attacks against Klarion.” Nelson explained. “That is your power, your magic. As our lessons progress you will learn to harness it, to use it for a wide variety of things. Can you feel it?”

"Yeah," Billy had a look of concentration on their face. "I can feel something. I don't know how to describe it but it feels...happy."

“Interesting.” The wizard mused, looking intrigued by the description, but Rosa could see him shove aside the urge to question Billy about it. “As I said before: the most basics of magic is thought given form. Thought, imagination almost, is powered by your magic and your belief. And thus, to fly, you simply have to  _ believe  _ that you can fly.”

To demonstrate this Doctor Nelson calmly rose from the ground, levitating a short distance off the ground.

“It really is that simple.” He finished his explanation from five feet up. “Push your belief through your magic, and let it do as it will with it. If it helps, try jumping as you do it.”

Billy didn't look entirely convinced but nodded. They frowned and appeared to concentrate, whispering something to themselves. 

Rosa watched carefully and almost squealed with glee as Billy's feet left the ground. It was only an inch or two but still. One of her children was  _ flying. _ It was beyond magical.

“As you continue to do this, you will get more used to it. Your mind turns the idea of flight from a magical fantasy into a true fact, and it will become easier.” Nelson explained, lowering himself back to the ground. “I think today’s lesson will be to simply focus on your flight. And the first part of that is to move while in flight. Can you get over to me without touching the ground?”

"I'll try." Billy waved their arms as if they were swimming and Rosa had to bite a giggle.

“Focus. Your belief holds you aloft, and it is your belief that will propel you. You move through the air because you  _ believe _ you can move through the air.” Nelson continued. “If it helps, imagine yourself as Superman, and try to emulate how he flies.”

"I have no clue how Superman flies," Billy groused. "Why couldn't Freddy have got the superpowers? He probably would be a whole lot better."

“Your brother does appear to have some spark for magic,” Nelson shrugged, causing both Rosa and Billy to stare at him in shock, “But for all his faults, Shazam was strict in his standards. You’ve seen what I can do, and he decided that I lacked whatever attribute he was searching for. If he chose you, he must have had a reason.”

"He said something about being pure of heart," Billy snorted. "I highly doubt that though. That sounds more like Darla than it does me."

“Perhaps.” Nelson allowed. “But perhaps he saw something in you… questions for another day, after you return to the Rock perhaps.”

"The what?" Billy stared at him. "You mean that creepy ass cave? There's no way I'm going back there alone."

“Who said anything about being alone? You have a family, people that can assist you. Why would you ever return to the Rock of Eternity alone?” Nelson looked genuinely confused by the question. “And the Rock of Eternity, as it is supposed to be called, is what could be best called your “secret lair”. A place that only you and those that you allow can enter. It is, according to some at least, the source of all magic in this world.”

Seeing Billy's confusion and hesitation Rosa came to the rescue. "Billy's only been with us for a week," she explained. "They're still trying to get used to us after being alone for so long."

“My apologies.” Nelson bowed his head, sounding genuinely apologetic for his words. “And do not worry, returning the Rock will have to wait besides. I do not have a key, and you don’t currently know how to get back there.”

And so they settled in for Billy’s lessons, Doctor Nelson conjuring some furniture for himself and Rosa to sit on while Billy practiced flying. After they managed to work out how to move, if a bit jerkily, Doctor Nelson started requesting Billy to go faster, higher, to fly through conjured hoops in order to practice.

“He should consider himself lucky that he did not have  _ my _ teacher.” Kent, as he’d become at some point during the casual conversation the two of them had struck up while watching Billy, commented while Billy hung near the top of the building. “I have the feeling that you would disapprove if I were to emulate his flight lessons.”

“Oh, and how did he teach you?” Rosa asked, quite curious.

“He told me the theory, made sure that I could apply it, and then dropped me from several hundred feet up. The intent was that I would learn to fly before I hit the ground.” He explained.

Rosa straightened, slightly alarmed. "I most certainly would not have approved," she agreed. "Thank you for not trying that."

“Oh, that reminds me.” He commented, rising to his feet. As he walked forward he rose up behind Billy, who was facing the other way. He held out his hand, and Rosa could see a wooden baseball bat materialize in his hand. “William?”

“Yeah?” Billy turned to see what their teacher wanted, only to get beamed in the head by the bat. Which shattered into wood chips, and Rosa from what Rosa could see, Billy didn’t even react.

“This form of yours is considerably more durable than your normal one.” And with that Kent turned back, returning to the floor and back to his seat.

“Before you say anything, Klarion told me that he barely flinched when several bolts of ice struck him at high speed. A simple wooden bat was never going to hurt him.” Kent told her as he sat back down. “I simply wanted to distract him, to see if he could remain in the air when he wasn’t focusing on it. He didn’t drop so much as an inch.”

Rosa still glared at him. "My child is still recovering from old injuries. Do that again and I will smack you."

“And he intends to charge into situations where he may very well be shot at by criminals.” Kent returned. He did pause though, for a moment. “I will however wait until he recovers from his injuries, before doing such a thing again.”

"Thank you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next time: New characters!
> 
> Kent Nelson (Doctor Fate) means well, he's just a little... let's go with "weird". He knows what he's doing, knows that there is no chance of Billy being hurt under his watch, but he doesn't stop to think through everything as well as he probably should. As noted: his teacher was crazy, an it rubbed off a little.
> 
> Passionate Spanish, threats of kidnapping, general chit-chat, and other comments are welcomed down below.


	13. Billy Vasquez joined the chat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jason Wayne changed their name to Jason
> 
> William Batson changed their name to Billy Vasquez
> 
> Bartholomew Allen changed their name to Barry
> 
> Kara Kent changed their name to Kara

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WOO! We're introducing new characters!
> 
> We're nearly up to one of the big moments in this fic, and I am so excited for it! There's a few moments in this fic that I am really looking forward to, and one of them is right around the corner. A few of them are right around the corner actually...
> 
> Rock of Eternity Link: (https://discord.gg/C6jSt8FS96)

“Okay class, today we’ll be talking about a collaborative project we’re undertaking with a number of schools around the country. Fawcett, Gotham, Central, Star, Keystone, and Metropolis have joined forces for an intercity project.” The teacher began. “In this age of the internet, it was decided that it was important that you learn how to work with people in a purely digital environment. This means that you will be paired up with students from other cities, and you will work with to fulfil a group project.”

“The tablets that the school provided has a link to a private group chat, as well the information on your group project,” Must have been what that download that they were told to do on Friday was about, “The files have now been unlocked, and you’ve already been paired up in your group chats.”

Well, this wasn’t too bad at least. Interacting with people over the net was better for Billy anyway, easier to disengage from conversations, and it was easier to hide their “Bad Days” over text than in person.

Like today, today was a “Bad Day”. Not that Mary liked Billy calling them that, but she also understood that Billy had a long way to go to completely wipe out the methods that they had for dealing with it all. 

They were trying, but it was hard to change after so long.

The rest of the class was mostly about internet safety, how they were expected to behave, not to give out personal information, all stuff that Billy thought was common sense, but they supposed the school was required to say it.

But, finally, they were given time to take out their tablets and log in to the group chat so that they could introduce themselves to their partners.

* * *

Jason Wayne: What’s up bitches?

Kara Kent: Take that back or I will track you down and make my cousin beat you up.

Jason Wayne: Woops, sorry. Didn’t realize that there was a girl here. My bad.

Bartholomew Allen: This is going to be an absolute mess, I can tell.

William Batson: Thank God I'm not the only weirdo here.

Jason Wayne: Hey, you take that back!

Jason Wayne: I’m not a weirdo!

Jason Wayne: I’m a Gothamite, we’re all like this!

William Batson: Remind me to never visit Gotham.

Bartholomew Allen: Hey, William?

William Batson: Yeah?

Bartholomew Allen: Never visit Gotham.

William Batson: ...I like you. You might actually be fun.

Kara Kent: Okay, so should we talk about the project?

Jason Wayne: Probably, but there’s something more important to do first.

Kara Kent: What?

**Jason Wayne changed their name to Jason**

Jason: That’s better.

**William Batson changed their name to Billy Vasquez**

**Bartholomew Allen changed their name to Barry**

Barry: Something wrong with your last name?

**Kara Kent changed their name to Kara**

Billy Vasquez: I don’t want to talk about it.

Kara: Okay then. Want to talk about the project now?

Jason: I’m good.

Barry: Sure, why not?

Billy Vasquez: Okay then.

Kara: Okay, so the first thing we need to do is pick a subject from the given list.

* * *

They didn’t chat too much longer, as Billy had to go on to the next class before long, but they had at least started talking about the actual project itself. They didn’t pick a subject yet, despite Kara’s best efforts, but they had at least worked out some of what they  _ didn’t _ want to do.

The rest of the day was mostly uneventful, besides the occasional moment that Billy could spare to check the chat and give their opinion on whatever the latest topic had been proposed. This meant that Billy had a lot of time to think over what they’d done when the chance to change their name had come up.

Billy Vasquez.

Why had they done that? Sure, the Vasquezes were nice, and supportive, and loving, and seemed to genuinely want to help Billy, and…

...and they were attached. Fuck. Their number one rule and they had broken it. They had no idea what to do now or if they should even do anything. 

Their first instinct was to run, to simply walk out of the school and keep walking. But Billy throttled that urge, because this didn’t have to be a bad thing. Sure, it would make it harder to find their mom, but… but why did they have to do that alone? Rosa and Victor cared for Billy, surely they would help find her if Billy asked.

And then, when they found her, Billy would… they would…

What would they do?

Billy didn't know and that terrified them. 

Well, what Billy  _ did _ know was that there was no way that the Vasquezes were ever seeing that group chat, or more importantly: the name Billy had put down. They’d make a big deal of it, and that was the last thing Billy wanted.

It wasn’t that big a deal, was it?

Yes, yes it was, and Billy knew it.

* * *

Jason sat back on the couch, relaxing after a long day at school. He couldn’t exactly complain about it, no matter how much he occasionally felt out of place amongst all the rich kids.

He found he actually enjoyed it, enjoyed the chance to get an actual degree that proved that he wasn’t an idiot, enjoyed a few of the classes (chemistry was actually quite interesting, who knew?), and even enjoyed this latest group project.

It was different, if nothing else.

He was surprised to see a Kent in the chat, but on further reflection he probably shouldn’t have been. Despite what some might believe, Clark’s family was actually pretty big. Farming families tended to have big families, so Clark had a lot of perfectly human cousins scattered about.

They usually lived in smaller towns near Smallville, but he wasn’t entirely surprised to find that at least one of them had made their way to Metropolis. 

Bartholomew Allen was easy to find. Dead mom, dad in prison for it...pretty standard stuff.

William Batson (aka Billy Vasquez) on the other hand had a very impressive record of foster homes. He had run away from  _ twenty-three _ foster homes in a desperate attempt to locate the woman that had abandoned him at a winter carnival. 

He’d debated trying to find her, if only to give another orphan some comfort, but in the end decided not to just yet. He wanted to scope out the situation a bit more first, to learn a bit more about William, or Billy as he seemed to prefer, before he spent a few hours tracking down someone that clearly didn’t care about her kid.

Besides, if Billy was taking on his foster family's name then he had clearly found someone that  _ did _ want him and in the end that was all that mattered. So why spend time when Billy seemed to be moving on?

The group, as a whole, seemed pretty nice, so at least the project wouldn’t be unbearable.

Maybe...maybe he could even make a few friends that didn't care about his status as Bruce Wayne's adopted street rat and the money that came with it.

If nothing else, he could use the distraction. Dick was earning his name even more than usual, and Bruce was being… Bruce, so Jason welcomed the distraction that the group project provided.

* * *

Kara flopped back onto her bed, exhausted. She didn’t know why she was so tired, all she’d done was go to school, but she felt worn out.

Which was ridiculous, she could lift a car if she wanted to, and a bit of schoolwork made her tired? Oh well, at least the day hadn’t been completely tiring, the new group project sounded fun, and the people she’d been paired with seemed nice.

She had met some new kids, including Bruce Wayne's adopted son, who seemed like an ass but nice in his own way. Not at all like a spoiled rich kid, just a bit crass, which she could handle.

Billy and Barry seemed normal, other than Billy changing his last name. That was strange, but she had seen stranger.

In the end they had managed to trim the list of possible topics for the project, which was some kind of presentation, down to only fifteen possible topics. Considering the initial list included over thirty possible topics, she was counting that as a good first day.

She was hopeful that she had just made three new friends and hummed a little at the thought. Clark would be happy for her and insist on making something special for dinner, but first she had to do her homework. 

Who knew that math could be so tiring for someone with literal unearthly stamina?

* * *

Barry nodded politely to Iris as he walked into the house, eager to get back up to his room and back to the group chat.

Finally, a group project where people didn’t know of his reputation! They didn’t know about his interest in the unexplained, or how he was still searching for the Man in Yellow, or how he knew that his dad hadn’t killed his mom.

They only knew what he wanted them to know, and so far that was nothing outside of his name.

Which they could use to look him up, and find out about his mom.

Fuck.

Hopefully none of them were the snooping type and he could pretend to be absolutely normal, just like everyone else.

Maybe he could talk to the others about their local bits of weirdness. Gotham had the Batman, Metropolis had Superman, and there was that new guy over in Fawcett. He was particularly interested in the one from Fawcett. The guy had lightning powers, judging by the footage that Barry had seen, maybe he was related to the Man in Yellow somehow.

He would wait until later (much later) to start on his theories though, once he was assured they wouldn't ditch him at the first opportunity. 

But, the other students seemed nice enough. Even Jason, who was apparently  _ Bruce Wayne’s adopted son, _ was mostly nice. A bit of a jackass from what he’d seen, but not too bad really.

Oh well, he’d best start on his homework before Joe got home and got on his case about it.

He liked Joe, and appreciated him for taking Barry in, but the guy could be a jerk sometimes. Plus he had arrested Barry's dad. That alone meant Joe would never be his favorite person, no matter what he did for Barry.

At least Iris was nice, and even Eddie, who wasn’t called Iris’ boyfriend only because Joe would freak out about it, was pretty cool.

True, Barry had been upset at first, the result of an old crush on Iris, but he had gotten over it the first time Eddie came over and played video games with him.

Now he just needed to get over his crush on Eddie...

* * *

Rosa sat on her bed, sighing deeply as her husband sat next to her and pulled her into a hug.

“I think we’re making good progress,” Victor told her, “Billy seems more open than when they first got here.”

"They do," she agreed. "At least Mary knows what's wrong, but I can't wait until they tell us."

“I mean… we  _ do _ have a pretty good idea of what’s going on,” Victor reminded her, releasing her from the hug, “But I would like to hear Billy’s explanation about it.”

"Their voice sounds more feminine," Rosa pointed out. "That was a good idea you had with the drama club."

“It does seem to be helping.” He confirmed, “They’re sounding more girlish every day, which seems to be their goal.”

"I noticed it at breakfast this morning. I thought I even saw them wearing one of Mary's old t-shirts but it's hard to tell with that hoodie on."

“Well, I did notice one of her old shirts coming through the wash.” Victor commented. “Could have sworn that it was one of the ones that she said were too small for her.”

"And I thought I saw her going into Billy's room last night carrying some clothes," Rosa mused.

“...How about the next time that we see some of those clothes come through the wash, we give them back to Billy ourselves? Save Mary the trouble of returning them?” Her husband suggested.

Rosa nodded. "They already know we don't mind them wearing girls clothes so that should work. We'll just make sure the others can't see. I don't think Billy's comfortable enough for that yet."

“Certainly not.” Here Rosa could see Victor visibly hesitate, but after a moment he continued. “I think we should offer to help Billy find his mother. Billy deserves closure, if nothing else.”

And it’s not like the two of them didn’t have their fair share of things that they wanted to say to the woman, but that went without saying.

Rosa bit her lip then slowly nodded. "She's not getting custody of Billy, I will fight her tooth and nail if she tries that. I doubt she's that stupid though after leaving them like that."

“Don’t worry, we have a  _ very _ good lawyer, remember?” They’d needed one over the years, and a good friend of Rosa’s had turned her on to their preferred lawyer. She’d been very helpful when handling the situation with Darla’s biological parents, and Rosa didn’t doubt that she’d be just as good if Billy’s biological mother tried anything.

"Maybe Eugene can help," she suggested. "I don't approve of his hacking but it could be helpful."

“Brave of you to assume he hasn’t been looking for her already.” Victor joked, grinning at the thought.

Rosa sighed. "Yes, but now we can give him permission."

“He’ll find her.” Victor promised. “If we let him try his… less than legal methods, Eugene will find her.”

"As long as he doesn't get caught...again."

“He’s only ever been caught  _ once _ , remember?” That had been how he’d ended up in the foster system actually, and how he’d come to them. The only time he’d ever been sloppy enough to get caught, and it had brought him to them.

"True," Rosa conceded. "Still, I'll go ahead and call Jennifer, let her know what's going on. Just in case."

"Good idea," Victor said approvingly. “Did you read the email about the new group project that some of the kids are in?”

"I did. It sounds interesting, I know Freddy's excited. It's all he would talk about on the way home."

“I saw the list for Billy’s group, was surprised at the names on it.” Victor commented, seemingly at random.

Rosa turned to look at her husband. "Why?"

“Bruce Wayne’s kid, for a start.” He began. “I knew he was about Billy’s age, but it’s still a bit of a shock to see him in a project with our kid.”

"Definitely," Rosa agreed.

“And then there’s the girl, Kara Kent. Wasn’t the guy who did the report on Mary’s old family Clark Kent?” He asked. “I think we still have that article packed away somewhere.”

"I think so," Rosa frowned. 

“And was’t Henry’s kid named Bartholomew? Bit of an odd coincidence.” Victor remarked, referring to his old college roommate.

"I don't believe in coincidences," Rosa said. "Everything happens for a reason even if we don't know what it is. Maybe it's a sign you should visit Henry."

“Maybe... Yeah, I think I should make a trip to Iron Heights soon. It’s been a little while since I talked to Henry, what with getting everything sorted to take in Billy.” Victor suggested.

"Why don't you take Billy with you? Make it a family trip and they could meet one of their group members. They could use more friends."

“Just the two of us, on a long car ride, to meet an accused murderer?” Not that either of them actually  _ believed _ that Henry killed Nora. They knew how much the man had loved her, and how devastated he’d been when she died. “I’m sure Billy will jump at the chance for that. Or do you think that I should take some of the others out for the trip as well?”

"Freddy might be interested, plus he's their age. They would probably all get along."

“Maybe…” Victor suddenly stopped, furrowing his brow as he thought of something. “How long has it been since we went camping?”

"Too long," Rosa laughed. "The rest of us can camp in the backyard."

“No, I mean: all of us together. I think it was before the last summer road trip. It’s been far too long since we all got away from things, even if just for a few days.” Victor frowned at the realization, before grinning widely. “How about we all go away this weekend? Pack tents, some food, and spend the weekend out of the city somewhere?”

"Oh, that sounds like fun!" Rosa clapped her hands. "It would be a good time to bond with Billy."

“We’d have to check with everyone first of course,” Victor continued, “Remember how Pedro used to be about his privacy? Billy may have some similar issues. Being forced to share with so many other people may be a bit too much for them right now.”

"It shouldn't be that expensive to find a small tent or maybe Doctor Nelson can show Billy how to make one? If he can conjure furniture a tent shouldn't be too hard."

“We’ll talk to the kids about it tomorrow at breakfast.” Victor promised.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That camping trip ended up being postponed by... other things (IE: we forgot). We may get around to it, or we may just mention that it happened. Idk, we'll see.
> 
> Anyway, yeah: Billy's group chat. For those that aren't familiar...
> 
> Jason Wayne is Jason Todd (he was adopted) the second Robin (Batman's protege). He's a redhead in this, because we like redheaded Jason.
> 
> William Batson is... Billy, I think you know them by now.
> 
> Bartholomew Allen is Barry Allen, AKA: The Flash. He's currently fifteen, has no powers, and is a fan of superheroes. Also in the middle of a bi-saster, but he'll get over that.
> 
> And Kara Kent is... Kara Kent/Kara Zor-El, Superman's cousin/Supergirl.
> 
> That's the short version of who they are.
> 
> Threats of kidnapping, passionate Spanish, shouts about John Constantine, and other fun comments are welcomed down below. And boring comments, don't be afraid to drop a "This was cool" if you feel like it, we love all comments.


	14. New Friends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Well, this is off to a fun start.” The cop muttered, leaning over the table to shake Freddy and Billy’s hands. “Eddie Thawne.”
> 
> "Barry Allen," the teen with him grinned. "Is that a Batman shirt? That's so cool. Where'd you get it?"
> 
> "Look out boys and girls, the superhero fan boys have arrived," Len said sarcastically only to get elbowed by Lisa again. "Would you stop that?" He complained. 
> 
> "I apologize for Len. I like your shirt. It's cool. We have more Arrow merchandise than anything."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fair warning: this chapter takes a heavy turn about halfway in. We don't do the actual scene, just an outsider watching it, but there is a heavy scene towards the end of this.
> 
> Rock of Eternity Link: (https://discord.gg/C6jSt8FS96)

Freddy looked out the window, watching the scenery fly past.

He and Billy were going over to Central after school, just the two of them and their dad. Dad apparently knew one of the parents on Billy’s list, and he wanted to visit the man anyway, so Billy was invited along.

Billy would be meeting the teen, supervised by someone responsible, while their dad would duck over to Iron Heights to visit the boy’s dad.

Freddy had managed to get one of the girls in his group, Lisa, to meet up with him while he was in town, so he was coming along as well.

The trip itself wasn’t anything too special. Billy was quiet, and seemed to be deep in thought. Every now and then Freddy would catch Billy shooting looks over at him or their dad, like he was trying to work out some kind of puzzle.

Out of respect, and because he suspected that it would be largely useless, Freddy decided not to comment on any of it. He knew that pushing probably wouldn’t help, so he just rattled off some random fact that he remembered about Batman, and how he suspected that there had been more than one Robin.

But, overall, the trip was uneventful.

They had arranged to meet at a local restaurant both Barry and Lisa were familiar with, supervised by Lisa's brother and a detective that worked with Barry’s foster dad.

The restaurant was small with lots of outside tables, one of which was occupied by a man wearing a CCPD jacket, a young teenage boy, an older teen wearing a blue furred jacket, and a blonde Freddy recognized from the pictures Lisa had sent.

“Right, you two behave while I visit Henry.” Dad called out, not bothering to get out of the van. 

“Right.” Freddy returned, climbing down onto the sidetrack.

Billy looked slightly nervous and awkwardly returned Victor’s wave as he followed Freddy.

“Hello boys.” The older teen in the furred jacket greeted, sounding a little bored of the situation already. Which was a little impressive, because the two hadn’t even  _ sat down _ yet.

"Lenny!" Lisa elbowed the teen that Freddy assumed to be her brother, judging by the name at last, hard judging by his slight gasp. "I'm Lisa, ignore my brother. He's an ass."

“Language.” The ass returned, rubbing his side.

“I’ve heard Mick say way worse than that, and you don’t tell him off!” Lisa complained.

“It’s a waste of effort to try and control what he says.” Came the reply.

“Well, this is off to a fun start.” The cop muttered, leaning over the table to shake Freddy and Billy’s hands. “Eddie Thawne.”

"Barry Allen," the teen with him grinned. "Is that a Batman shirt? That's so cool. Where'd you get it?"

"Look out boys and girls, the superhero fan boys have arrived," Len said sarcastically only to get elbowed by Lisa again. "Would you stop that?" He complained. 

"I apologize for Len. I like your shirt. It's cool. We have more Arrow merchandise than anything."

Freddy brightened. "I love Arrow, he's so cool."

Billy stood there awkwardly until Eddie took pity on him and pushed out a seat. "So you're working with Barry, is he as big a geek with you guys as he is us?"

"Eddie," Barry groaned in embarrassment. "I'm not a geek or a nerd."

Len snorted. "You look like one, just like that guy at Star Labs when Lisa had her field trip there." He yelped when her foot connected with his shin bone. "Stop attacking me. You're supposed to respect your elders after all."

“...are you really going to try that line?” Even Freddy could hear that there was something she  _ wasn’t _ saying there.

“...fair enough.” And with that Len pulled out his phone and settled down to ignore the group.

Eddie sighed heavily. "So what topics did you guys pick? We didn't get to do group chats when I was in school."

"Wasn't that when dinosaurs roamed the Earth?" Billy snarked, gaining laughter from the other kids and a few snorts from Len.

"I volunteered for this, why?" Eddie groaned. "Next time I'm letting Joe do this."

“That would involve Joe being interested in my schoolwork.” Freddy heard Barry mutter quietly.

"Our dad knows your dad," Freddy blurted out in an attempt to change the conversation, ignoring the weird look that Billy always got whenever he was included in the family. "He went to visit him actually."

Eddie choked and Barry suddenly looked extremely interested. "Really?"

* * *

Victor looked at his phone, which had chimed off a few moments before he had pulled into the Iron Heights carepark. It didn’t say much, but what it did say was… worrying.

_ “We found her. She reverted back to her maiden name, but she’s here in Fawcett.” _

He couldn’t help but feel a bit of dread as he looked at the address, wondering how he would tell Billy that he knew where the woman that abandoned them was.

* * *

Despite his words, there was a reason that Eddie hadn’t tried to insist that Joe West do this himself.

Well, there were a few reasons actually. He liked Barry, he’d look good to Iris, and he wanted to check out the other students to see who Barry was working with.

But, possibly the most important reason was the email he got just last week. Apparently some cousin of his, one of his mom’s sisters from memory, had died, leaving their kid without anyone to take care of them. Since Eddie was the closest living relative that wasn’t in prison he had been asked to take in the kid.

He was actually meeting the boy in a few days, and he had thought this would be a good chance to get some experience with teenagers, since his… cousin… nephew… whatever the kid was to him, they were about Barry’s age.

This was a good way to make sure that he wasn't absolutely terrible with them. But if Leonard Snart, son of a dirty cop, could raise his little sister (and not do a bad job actually) then surely  _ he _ could do it too.

And he’d have Iris with him, so it wasn’t like he was totally alone in it all.

But, despite Eddie’s motives for agreeing to play chaperone, Joe West should have done it himself. It was  _ his _ kid, foster or no, that was attending it. It wasn’t like the man was busy, he just had absolutely no interest in Barry’s schoolwork, beyond making sure that the kid passed his classes.

Which he did, because Barry was a genius in the making.

That wasn’t to say that Joe didn’t care for Barry, he absolutely loved the kid, but he just wasn’t interested in the details of Barry’s education.

With little else to do as the kids fell into conversation, Eddie decided to take a moment to take stock of Barry’s new friends.

Lisa Snart was the daughter of a crooked cop, but she seemed to be working hard towards being better than her old man. She was a cheery kid, one that Eddie knew he would see more of, if only because Barry needed more friends his own age.

Leonard Snart, on the other hand, was an ass. While he didn’t come out and say it, Eddie could tell the young man really didn’t want to be here. If Eddie had to guess, Leonard had only come to keep an eye on his sister, and wasn’t even going to pretend to be interested in what actually happened here as long as he knew she was safe.

Freddy was loud and obsessed with superheroes, but seemed like a good kid. He was also smart, and could easily keep a conversation up with Barry. 

Billy, however, alternated between being quiet and snarky. He was an abused child (or probably had been) judging by his reactions to loud noises and sudden movements. Eddie didn't think his parents were hurting him as Freddy seemed perfectly fine, beyond the leg of course, but Barry had mentioned that they were foster kids too, so Billy was probably a recent addition. He seemed unsure of himself and what to do in the social setting, but the other kids talked enough to make up for that.

Eddie sat back and half listened to the group talk, turning his mind over the possible addition to his own family. He’d take the kid, if he was allowed, and try to help them as best he could.

Maybe he could grab Victor Vasquez’s number later, he had the feeling that consulting with another foster parent, as Eddie would hopefully soon be, would be something that he’d need to do more than once.

He briefly considered getting Snart's but quickly vetoed that idea.

He’d make sure that Barry grabbed Lisa’s number though, just in case.

The fact that Freddy and Billy’s foster father knew  _ Barry’s  _ father had thrown him for a loop. It wasn't very surprising, the two cities were relatively close, but still. It was an unexpected piece of information and so he tucked it away for later.

* * *

Billy frowned as Victor pulled into the parking lot of a large apartment building.

“Um… Dad?” Freddy asked. “Where are we?”

Victor didn’t reply for a moment, instead choosing to grab a folded piece of paper out of his pocket and turn to look at the two of them from the front seat.

“Billy.” He started, holding the paper out for Billy to take. “This is your birth mother’s address. She’s in there if you want to see her. Eugene found her while we were in Central.”

Billy froze. "Sh-she lives here?" His voice cracked.

Victor sighed heavily. "Yes. She went back to her maiden name after leav-losing you at the winter carnival."

"Of course I want to see her." Billy automatically asserted, but…. but did he? 

“Want us to come in with you?” Freddy asked, looking as surprised as Billy, but recovering quickly. “We can wait by the elevator or something if you want some privacy, but we can come in with you if you want.”

“Or,” Victor cut in, “We can go home, and do this another day.”

Billy opened his mouth to say that he didn't need them, but what came out was, "I wouldn't mind if you waited by the elevator. I want to do this right now, I  _ have _ to."

“Alright then.” And just like that, the trio was off.

Riding up in the elevator was possibly the most stressful thing that Billy had ever done. He could hear his heart beating, faster and harder than it had since the wizard had literally shot him full of lightning. His mouth felt dry, and he felt like he nearly jumped out of his skin when the elevator doors opened on the right floor.

“We’ll be right here.” Victor promised him, stepping out of the elevator to wait in the hallway. Freddy didn’t say anything, just gave a reassuring nod.

Yeah, yeah he could do this.

The walk to the right door felt like it took even longer than the elevator ride. Every step reminded him of all the good things that he was literally walking away from. The new room, the clothes that he could wear on his “Bad Days”, the genuine, honest love and care that the entire family extended to him from the second that Victor and Rosa had laid eyes on him.

But, finally, he stood in front of the door. After a moment to muster whatever courage he could, and a quick look to confirm that Freddy and Victor were still there, he knocked on the door.

And then she was there. Older, yes, but it was  _ her _ .

"Mom," he breathed then watched in horror as she turned pale. She didn't look happy, not at all.

"What-what are you doing here?" She stammered, closing the door behind her as she stepped out into the hallway.

* * *

It wasn’t the hardest thing that Victor had ever done for his kids, that spot would always go to that…  _ thing _ concerning Mary’s birth parents that had ended with him in the hospital. But standing there, watching as his child got their heart broken by someone that they’d searched for so long? It was certainly up there on the list.

He knew how this would end the second she stepped into the hallway. Hell, he knew how it would end when he talked about it with Rosa last night. He didn't have to have super hearing to know what was being said. He could see Billy's face and the way it crumpled when she stepped away from him, or when she turned to call to someone in the apartment. He wanted nothing more than to yell at her then take Billy home to Rosa where they could be comforted and smothered with love. Or, better yet, go back in time and take Billy in when they had just been abandoned. 

But he couldn’t do any of that. All he could do was watch and wait as Billy’s face alternated between showing how absolutely crushed he was and more than a hint of anger.

Finally it drew to a close, and Billy looked like they’d drop dead where they were standing from the sheer weight of the conversation. But they stumbled back towards the elevator, not saying anything.

Victor promised himself that he’d come back to this apartment, he had things he wanted to say to the woman that had just broken his child’s heart, but he had more important things to do first.

He wrapped an arm around Billy's shoulder and guided them into the elevator. Billy didn't say anything but leaned into Victor’s embrace, sniffling a little. Freddy was quiet too although he shot the woman a nasty look before the elevator doors closed.

The ride home was quiet, with only the occasional noise from Billy to break the silence. No one said anything, no one tried to talk to Billy about it, and before too long they were home.

Billy still didn’t say anything, choosing to stumble inside and up the stairs to their room without so much as a greeting to anyone.

“Well, that went about as well as it could have.” Freddy finally commented, sounding worried.

"That doesn't sound good," Rosa frowned. 

“Billy finally met their birth mother,” Victor explained, “It… didn’t go well.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...yeah... that happened...
> 
> Anyway, new characters, mostly from The Flash (TV show).
> 
> Leonard Snart it Captain Cold, Lisa is his sister (Golden Glider). Their dad was abusive, hence the ""Stop attacking me. You're supposed to respect your elders after all." “...are you really going to try that line?” interaction.
> 
> Okay, on Joe West: we're not making him out to be the bad guy. We're a bit hard on the guy, but that's because he's kind of a dick in canon. When Iris (his daughter, Barry's foster sister) applied to be a cop, Joe gave her the silent treatment for a week until she pulled out her application. He's a good man, truly loves his kids, he's just... kind of a dick.
> 
> Eddie's a good guy. He's a cop, dating Iris, and is apparently taking in his recently orphaned cousin.
> 
> You know the drill. Kidnapping threats, passionate spanish, and ideas/predictions are all welcomed.


	15. A Single Step Forward

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “So…” He chipped in, finally recovering enough to speak again, “Not to be insensitive, but I feel I have to ask: have you been a girl this whole time?”
> 
> “Today I am, yes. We’ll see about tomorrow.” Billy replied, making Freddy feel even more confused.
> 
> “Billy, maybe explain it properly.” Dad requested, not looking up from where he was making pancakes.
> 
> “It’s not that complicated,” Billy shrugged with what Freddy could see was forced nonchalance, “Sometimes I’m a boy, and sometimes I’m… I’m a girl.”
> 
> Huh.
> 
> “Okay.” Well, if Billy wasn’t making a big deal out of it, then Freddy saw no reason to do so.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Calming down after a heavy chapter with some good stuff, some introspection, and the start of the thing we've spent the last several chapters ignoring: the plot. You'll get what we mean at the end.
> 
> Also yes, that summary means exactly what you think it means.
> 
> More Billy Batson related talk can be found here: (https://discord.gg/C6jSt8FS96)

There was silence at the table as the Vasquez family prepared breakfast.

Freddy frowned in the direction of the stairs, not the least bit surprised to see that Billy hadn’t made his way downstairs. Considering what had happened yesterday, with Billy finally meeting his birth mother, Freddy wouldn’t be surprised if he didn’t see his brother for the rest of the day.

“So, do you think we should go and talk to him?” Eugene asked at one point, looking quite upset. Not surprising, he’d been the one that had found Billy’s birth mother, and he’d been the one to tell Billy about it. He was probably kicking himself for letting Billy get hurt.

“Give them time,” Dad said, “If Billy’s still locked up in there by lunch, I’ll go talk to them.”

“Okay.” Eugene relented, and Freddy could see that no one was particularly happy with that request. Freddy understood it, and knew that the others did too, but no one was really happy to leave Billy when he was upset.

“Billy’s staying here, right?” Darla asked next, turning to look in the direction of the stairs as well.

“Of course. I called Jennifer last night after Billy got home. She’s making preparations, just in case it comes to a fight. But Billy’s not going anywhere they don’t want to.” Mom promised, and Freddy relaxed at the words. Jennifer, his parents’ lawyer, was very, very good at her job.

Her most recent accomplishment, concerning the Vasquez family at least, had been handling Darla’s birth parents. Freddy wasn’t entirely sure of the details, but he knew that there was no legal way that they could so much as touch Darla.

So, if it came down to it, Billy was in safe hands.

Further discussion was halted when the sound of the creaky step echoed throughout the room, causing everyone present to freeze and turn back towards the staircase. When Billy finally arrived Freddy was treated to a sight that was, to be blunt, quite shocking.

Billy was wearing a light red shirt, with a blue denim skirt, and a purple headband held back Billy’s hair.

It was all a bit mismatched in Freddy’s rather amateur opinion, all sitting a bit wrong, and the shirt and skirt looked to be a bit big on Billy, and purple  _ really _ wasn’t his color.

Her color?

“Good morning.” Billy greeted, taking his… her… their seat at the table.

“Good morning Billy.” Mom returned, not looking nearly as shocked as Freddy felt.

“Can we go shopping later? I need some new clothes.” Billy continued, and Freddy only just noticed that their voice was still pitched in the way that they did sometimes.

Pitched so that it sounded like a girl’s voice…

“So…” He chipped in, finally recovering enough to speak again, “Not to be insensitive, but I feel I have to ask: have you been a girl this whole time?”

“Today I am, yes. We’ll see about tomorrow.” Billy replied, making Freddy feel even more confused.

“Billy, maybe explain it properly.” Dad requested, not looking up from where he was making pancakes.

“It’s not that complicated,” Billy shrugged with what Freddy could see was forced nonchalance, “Sometimes I’m a boy, and sometimes I’m… I’m a girl.”

Huh.

“Okay.” Well, if Billy wasn’t making a big deal out of it, then Freddy saw no reason to do so.

* * *

Barry scowled out the window as the train sped towards Fawcett.

It was late in the afternoon, the sun would only be up for another hour or so, and Barry suddenly realized he didn’t actually know what he’d do when he got there. He had intended on meeting up with Billy and Freddy, maybe staying with them for a day or two while he calmed down, but…

...he actually didn’t know where they lived.

This is what he got for running off angry he supposed. Hopefully Billy would be online, and he could ask for help on the group chat when he got to Fawcett.

His latest fight with Joe had been one of the worse ones, in Barry’s opinion at least. It felt like he was always fighting with Joe, and some part of him wished that he could go with Iris whenever she finally moved in with Eddie, just to get away from it all.

And the fight was, of course, what it was always about: Barry’s dad and the Man in Yellow. Joe had said that Barry should just give it up and accept that he’d never find the Man in Yellow. That he should focus on something else, and put this all behind him.

Barry suspected that Joe actually thought he was crazy, and had invented the whole thing. It was his way of dealing with the trauma according to Joe, and it was no longer protecting him.

Barry would not be surprised if he came back to learn that another session with a therapist had been scheduled while he was out.

Joe meant well, which was probably one of the more infuriating parts. But he had this annoying habit of not listening to other people’s opinions.

There was a reason that Iris had removed her application to the police academy after all.

Hopefully by the time he came back he and Joe would have both calmed down. Or Iris would have berated him into being reasonable again. Now the only thing to worry about was whether or not Billy's parents would let him crash there for a night or two. 

If not… well, he had Lisa’s number. Maybe she could convince her brother to put up with him for a bit.

He probably should have thought of that  _ before _ he got on a train.

Oh well. It was too late now, and it was doubtful Joe had kept the information for Billy's parents and the others in his group. Eddie probably had their number (he had seen him talking to Billy's dad), but he would probably be on Barry’s side and not sell him out.

When he finally arrived in Fawcett he found a nice bench to sit at and opened up the group chat, hoping that Billy was on.

* * *

Barry: Hey, Billy. You on?

Billy Vasquez: Yeah but not for long. On the way to the winter festival. What's up?

Barry: I, uh...

Barry: Need a place to stay for the night. Was hoping your parents would put me up?

Kara: Why are you in Fawcett looking for somewhere to stay in the first place?

Jason: Take it from me kid, running away from home doesn’t tend to end well.

Jason: Especially when it doesn’t look like you planned this out much.

Barry: It's a little late for that. Can I get some help please?

Jason: Advice: Avoid the police.

Barry: Not that kind of help, asshole. I need a place to stay. It's getting dark and there's a creepy guy staring at me.

Billy Vasquez: We’ll be at the winter festival soon, something about “making new memories”. It’s not too far from the train station from memory. We can meet you at the gate.

Barry: I owe you so much.

Billy Vasquez: You certainly do. You can probably crash with Freddy for the night but they'll insist on calling your foster dad. Just giving you a heads up.

Jason: Busted.

* * *

It was only when they were halfway to the Winter Festival when they realized that they were still wearing a skirt.

That  _ she _ was still wearing a skirt.

It was hard to not automatically correct thems- _herself_ like this after so long of denying it, but Billy was determined. She’d spent a lot of time thinking last night, after meeting her mom, and had come to a few realizations.

Realization One: Her birth mom sucked. Billy had suspected that, to some degree, but had always managed to convince herself, or himself depending on the day, to deny it in the end. But it was hard to argue when the woman herself openly admitted to abandoning Billy.

Realization Two: The Vasquezes didn’t suck. In fact, they were good people. Better than Billy deserved at least. They’d been nothing but loving, caring, and accepting from the start, and Billy had done nothing to repay that kindness.

Realization Three: They were a girl sometimes, but they weren't a freak. Victor, Rosa, and Mary had tried so hard to prove that fact to her. They had given her female clothing and used the pronouns they had been asked to use. Not once had they made a cruel remark or laughed at the high-pitched voice. She had been given her own room so she could experiment if she wanted.

Realization Four: They wanted to stay with the Vasquez family. Wanted to be a  _ part _ of the Vasquez family.

The end result was that Billy had decided that the only way to know if the Vasquezes were as accepting as they said was to just… go down and find out.

So she did.

There were a few smaller realizations of course, made over a day of shopping with Rosa (who had pulled her out of school for the day). It was mostly things that Billy had never really considered, back when she thought that there was something wrong with her. Like what sort of “girl clothes” she liked, or what colors she wanted to paint her nails, or lots of other things.

And now they were going back to the place that Billy had been abandoned, in order to make new memories that would hopefully block out the bad ones. She’d been asked of course, if she wanted to do this, but it sounded like a good idea.

The problem came when she realized that she’d invited Barry, who was in Fawcett for some reason, to the Festival while she was… well, a  _ girl _ . And, for the first time ever, was actually dressed like one.

The Vasquezes, her  _ family _ , may be accepting of her, but she couldn’t stop the bit of fear that came when she thought of Barry seeing her.

She liked Barry, and was scared of his reaction. Barry was nice, and smart, and cute, and funny, and friendly, and lots of other good things. Billy would be sad if he didn’t accept her for who she was.

Admittedly, even Billy was having trouble doing that, but she was  _ trying to _ .

"Calm down," Rosa turned in her seat and squeezed her shoulder. "If he doesn't like you, then he's not someone you want to be friends with. Or date," she winked. 

Billy turned red. “It-it’s not like that.” She protested, turning away a bit. “I mean, he’s a boy.”

“So?" Rosa raised an eyebrow. "There's nothing wrong with that. If you want to go out with a boy you can. If you like girls that's fine too."

“But… but I can’t like boys?” Even to Billy it sounded more like a question than anything else, and… why couldn’t she? It had been her last foster family, the ones that had called her a freak, that had told her that. And, as she was realizing, they’d just been cruel people that she was better off ignoring.

So… so could she like boys? Even when she was a boy?

"You can," Rosa said firmly. "You can like whoever you want and we will support you no matter what."

“...thanks.” Billy muttered, glad for the acceptance. She didn’t know why she was surprised, her new family had been nothing but accepting so far, so why wouldn’t they be now? “But I don’t like Barry like that, he’s just a friend.”

"If you say so," Rosa smiled then turned back to face the road. "I think I see him by the gate. Let us out here, Victor, then you can go and park the van."

Despite what Rosa said, Billy was still a bit hesitant to step out of the van and let Barry see her. She hoped he was accepting of her, he had seemed so nice, but she just couldn’t be sure.

But, in the end, she did get out of the van and walk over to where Barry was.

Barry stared at her, his mouth hanging open as he took in the skirt and lipstick Rosa had gotten her. "W-wow," he said at last. "You're really pretty."

“T-thanks.” Billy returned, blushing a bit at the compliment. Even if the others had said that already, especially Darla, who was ecstatic to have another sister, it was nice to hear it from someone outside of the family.

"Do I need to call you something else?" Barry asked worriedly. "Like do you have a different name or something?"

“Billy’s fine.” She told him, relaxing a bit. It was nice that her preferred name was actually gender neutral, it spared her the pain of finding something new that she liked.

"Cool," Barry grinned. "So do I use "she" or "they"? I have a few trans friends and I just want to be safe."

“She is fine,” Billy told him, finding his casual acceptance reassuring, “And um… I’m not trans, Mary called it… called it genderfluid.”

It occurred to Billy that was the first time she’d actually  _ said it _ to someone that didn’t already know, and it was actually quite freeing to use the words. She was still scared of whenever she had to go to school as a girl, but actually saying the words had felt good.

"Neat. Thanks for agreeing to meet me and not calling me a creepy stalker. I really appreciate it."

"It's fine," Billy said. "Ros-Mom said it was fine if you stayed the night. You just have to let her call your dad later so he doesn't get worried."

Not the first time she’d called Rosa that, she had done it a few times while out shopping, but it was still a bit hard to say it. The word still made her think of her birth mother, who had abandoned her.

At this very festival. This was going to be a hard night for her, she just knew it.

At least...at least she wasn't alone. She had her  _ real _ family, and Barry so she wasn't as scared.

The rest of the family turned up not long later, and the entire group moved into the Winter Festival. It was nice, fun even. Sure, Billy avoided one or two of the games at first, the bad memories a bit too vivid to face alone, but she always had someone at her side, so it wasn’t too bad.

* * *

Rosa smiled at her family, watching as they all had fun.

In particular, Rosa watched Billy. She seemed to be doing alright, sharing small smiles with the others and appearing to have a good time with those around her.

Like Barry Allen, who hadn’t moved from Billy’s side since he had joined the group.

Billy may claim that she thought of the boy as “just a friend”, but Rosa wasn’t blind. And neither was Victor if the looks she caught him casting over the two were any indication.

That the boy seemed smitten with Billy was just another reason for her to smile that night. Billy deserved to be surrounded by people that cared for them, and it was clear that Barry Allen cared for her.

He may not quite realize what he felt just yet, they’d only met once before now after all, just yesterday in fact, but he’d get there in the end if her guess was correct.

But those were concerns for the future, and today was about the present. And, in the present, her family was all having a good time.

It was just as the family was moving to line up for the ferris wheel that it happened: a loud explosion sounded to their left, debris raining down from the sky.

Darla and Eugene screamed as did Freddy (he would deny the girlish shrieking) and Rosa pulled her youngest out of the way just in time to avoid getting hit with a sharp piece of metal.

“Oh… fuck.” She heard Billy mutter. When she turned to see what the newest addition to the family was reacting to she saw that Billy was staring off at the sky. Turning in  _ that _ direction showed a figure floating in the sky, holding a staff that looked like it had come out of a fantasy movie.

“Do you recognize him?” Freddy asked, moving back a bit to stand behind Billy.

“That staff,” She said, referring to the staff that the man was holding, “That’s the one the wizard had, when he…” Rosa could see Billy tracing the scar on her right hand with her left, “How does he have that?”

"Wizard?" Barry echoed, looking confused and excited at the same time.

“Long story.” Was all Billy had to say on the matter. “How about we run now, and I’ll tell you about it later?”

“Or,” The man called out, having floated down closer to the group, pointing the staff directly at Billy, “You could give me what I want.”

"And what's that?" Billy called.

"Your powers and your dead corpse at my feet."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, the Plot, AKA "Gage and Blue have to get the Sins out of the way sooner or later and move on to stuff that they actually care about".
> 
> Passionate Spanish, kidnap threats, and other comments are welcome down below.
> 
> Next time: FIGHTS! Yeah, that's pretty much it.
> 
> Also yes, Barry ran away the day after Billy and Freddy went to visit.


	16. Ferris Wheels Made Of Butterflies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As Billy prepared for battle, letting the wonderful, gleeful energy that filled her come to rest just below her skin, she took stock of the lot in front of her.
> 
> Lust, Wrath, Pride, Greed, Sloth, Gluttony...
> 
> So their Champion, as they had named him, was hosting Envy.
> 
> Billy knew all about Envy, how it could eat away at you, make you feel less than you actually were. She knew it wouldn't take much to draw it out into the open. Once it was out then their Champion would be powerless and easy to defeat.
> 
> She had a plan (of sorts), now she just needed to kick some ass.
> 
> “Then let’s get to it.” And then Billy exploded, pushing out her lightning in all directions as the Sins tried to jump her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, one of the things we've been asked a lot: "What if Billy powers up when they're a girl?" Well, you can finally find out!
> 
> Also, we have officially passed one thousand hits! WOO!
> 
> Rock of Eternity Discord Link, for more Billy Bastson: (https://discord.gg/C6jSt8FS96)

The man looked down at the group from behind the sunglasses he wore, and Billy had the distinct feeling she was being glared at.

“Bring her to me.” He commanded, and Billy watched as a strange smokey mist seemed to seep out from the man’s body. The mist shot towards her like an arrow, solidifying as it moved into a grotesque monster that glared hatefully at her, gnashing its fangs and growling as the man smirked.

“SHAZAM!” The creature didn’t stop in its approach in time, being caught in the bolt that Billy called down from the heavens. The power, the magic of the bolt, felt like it wrapped around her and filled her with limitless energy.

Billy stepped forward, punching out to drive her fist into the face of the second monster that came at her, sending it flying. She sidestepped the third one, grabbing it by the leg and tossing it into the fourth as that one dove down at her from above.

She spied the first creature reforming, its misty body pulling together. As it did so the other creatures, six in total, formed a semi-circle in front of her. Something told Billy that this was going to be a lot more serious than her fight with Klarion.

"You guys are tough, I'll give you that, but I can assure you that I'm tougher." Her grin was shark-like and she took on a fighting stance like she had seen in the movies. "Bring it on!"

"One of you against all of us?" One of the monsters spoke, its voice deep sending tendrils of fear down her spine for a moment, but then Billy felt that fear pushed away, as if overcoming it had been as simple as refusing to accept it. She had to protect her family, and Barry, and everyone else there. It all depended on her, and there was no room for fear.

"Be careful," Rosa hissed as she and Victor guided the others away from the fight, having to nearly drag Barry away as he tried to stay and watch the fight.

"But she's so hot," Barry whined. "How come she gets two hot bodies and I don't get one?"

Huh? She? Billy looked down and almost shrieked upon realizing that she was in a very clearly female body. Her costume was now a red skirt and shirt, but most of the rest of the outfit was the same.

Her body itself was also different. The most obvious change, to her at least, was the two new weights were on her chest. Her entire body, now that she was paying attention, felt subtly different as well. Not  _ wrong _ , but certainly  _ different _ .

"Focus," she told herself. "Freak out later."

"Who are you?" She called out to the monsters.

"We are the Seven Deadly Sins of Man," a more feminine looking monster said, her voice enchanting. "We are here to wreak havoc on this world and get our revenge on the Wizard for imprisoning us, but since he's dead you will have to suffice."

"There's only six of you though," Billy pointed out.

"Our brother remains to power our Champion," another hissed. "We find him...useful. So far," he added.

"Great," she sighed. "Well, let's get this party started."

"Why?" The female monster asked. "Why should we fight? I can give you everything that you've ever wanted. Wouldn't that be grand?"

"What I want?" Billy repeated, feeling like she was in a daze.

“Power, riches, your own kingdom. Anything you have ever lost, ever wanted. All of it could be yours.” Billy was told.

"I'm fifteen - what the hell would I do with a kingdom?" Billy blinked, the strange feeling disappearing as she did so.

“Teth-Adam was as young as you when he rose to power.” The monster, which some whispering voice in his head called Lust, told him.

Billy frowned a little at the name. The wizard had mentioned Teth-Adam, and now this creature was speaking of them.

It was times like this Billy wished that people actually explained things to her.

“Who?” May as well try to get some answers now. And the longer that they stayed here, talking to Billy, the more time that everyone else had to get away before this became a real fight.

“Teth-Adam was great, great in all the ways that you could be.” Lust explained. “He was the Champion once, and he ruled the kingdom of Kahndaq as king. We could give you a kingdom of your own, make you a queen.”

"Yeah, I don't think so. Being a Champion is enough responsibility, I'm not adding to it. Besides, I don't think my parents would let me."

“We could make them.” Was what the Sin of Lust had to say to that. “We could give you anything you wanted, regardless of what others  _ allow _ you to do.”

"Absolutely not," Billy didn't even have to think about it. "I won't let you do anything to my family."

“Then you’ll die.” Wrath this time, who had been silent like the other five present Sins. Just like when Lust spoke, Wrath’s voice briefly brought an odd sensation over Billy, making her scowl in anger. But, like before, something pushed it away, and Billy’s head cleared barely a second later.

When Billy poked at whatever it was that had pushed away the anger she had briefly felt, she found a power that she instinctively recognized as the Courage of Achilles.

Huh, apparently courage protected her from being manipulated by the Sins.

Helpful.

"So are we going to fight now or do you want to run your mouths a little more?" She taunted, feeling a bit better with her newfound power. She really needed to learn what all her powers were, but she’d take anything right now.

"Useless human," Pride hissed. "Fighting you is beneath me but I shall destroy you nonetheless."

As Billy prepared for battle, letting the wonderful, gleeful energy that filled her come to rest just below her skin, she took stock of the lot in front of her.

Lust, Wrath, Pride, Greed, Sloth, Gluttony...

So their Champion, as they had named him, was hosting Envy.

Billy knew all about Envy, how it could eat away at you, make you feel less than you actually were. She knew it wouldn't take much to draw it out into the open. Once it was out then their Champion would be powerless and easy to defeat.

She had a plan (of sorts), now she just needed to kick some ass.

“Then let’s get to it.” And then Billy exploded, pushing out her lightning in all directions as the Sins tried to jump her.

* * *

It was, Pedro decided, nerve wracking as he watched his sister get her ass kicked. Billy was tough, and gave as good as she got, but even she couldn't take on six literal monsters all by herself.

The man, who Pedro could swear he recognized, hadn’t interfered much beyond shouting orders at his monsters, so at least Billy wasn’t fighting  _ seven _ people at once.

Small mercies.

“Should we try to help?” Pedro asked, after helping get another small group out of the festival. That had been what the Vasquez family and Barry had been doing since Billy had powered up: trying to get as many people out of the place as possible.

Freddy had, quite correctly, identified a fight of superhero proportions about to break out. So it was decided that it would be best if they tried to clear out the civilians before they got hurt. It wasn’t easy, trying to get people to sneak out without being noticed by the band of monsters, but they’d not been spotted yet, so Pedro thought it was going rather well.

"That's not a good idea," Barry said nervously. "I want to help her too, but we would only get in her way right now."

“There has to be  _ something!” _ Pedro insisted, pulling Barry behind a stand of some kind as Billy punched one of the monsters past it. He waited a moment for it to return to the fight before he continued. “We can’t just leave her out there alone, she can’t win.”

"She wouldn't want us to interfere," Mary said firmly. "No matter how much we want to."

"But," Freddy began only to be cut off by Darla.

"I don't care!" She stomped her foot. "I'm going to help whether you do or not."

It was at this moment that Billy was tackled into the ferris wheel, causing it to break and start falling.

Directly towards where they were.

Pedro grabbed Darla and turned to shield her, in the vain hope that she’d survive having a  _ ferris wheel _ dropped on her, closed his eyes, and waited for it to hit.

And waited.

And waited.

When he opened his eyes, realizing that even if it had missed he would have heard it, and turned to what had happened, Pedro was met with a surprising sight.

There was the ferris wheel, simply stopped in mid air. And, sitting on the sideways seat that was mere feet away from the family, was Klarion.

“You seem to be in a bit of trouble.” Was the wizard’s opening comment as he climbed out of the seat like it wasn’t  _ sideways _ .

Klarion climbed down from the seat to stand by the family, and snapped his fingers. The ferris wheel, in response, promptly turned into a large swarm of butterflies that turned around to attack the monsters that were bothering Billy.

“Thought you could use some help.” He continued, grinning smugly.

Pedro couldn’t find it in himself to be annoyed at the other teen’s attitude, because he had just saved them all from the ferris wheel, and seemed to be helping if the swarm of butterflies were any indication.

"Thank you," Darla leapt out of Pedro’s arms to give Klarion a hug. "I told everyone you were nice but they didn't believe me."

“Thank you,” Pedro politely pretended not to hear the fond note in the wizard’s voice, or to see the way that Klarion’s hand snaked around Darla briefly to return the hug, “Now then, I think that your… sister? I could have sworn that the Champion was your  _ brother _ the last time I was here?”

"Billy's genderfluid," Barry spoke up. Looking a bit overwhelmed by the situation.

“Huh, okay.” Klarion shrugged. “As I was saying: I think that your sister could use some help, so if you’ll excuse me?”

"Go ahead," Eugene shrugged. "Help however you want."

“Right then.” Klarion stretched out his arms for a moment, clearly preparing for whatever he was going to do. He then turned to nod politely at them. “Princess, others.”

And with that he took to the air to join the fight.

“Why does the weird teenaged wizard have a nickname for Darla?” Barry asked, looking even more overwhelmed than before.

"He kidnapped me," Darla cheerfully explained.

* * *

Billy would admit: this was not going well.

Oh sure, she hadn’t lost yet, but at the rate it was going it was only a matter of time. She was fighting six superpowered monsters that had literal centuries, if not longer, of practice working together.

And Billy was alone, and she’d never had a serious fight before.

So it was just a  _ bit _ one sided.

The swarm of butterflies that came out of nowhere helped, as they formed a nice distraction for a few of the Sins, giving Billy a bit of breathing room. Not a lot, because there were  _ six _ Sins that she had to contend with, but the brief few seconds she managed to get were more than she’d gotten since the fight had started.

“Need a hand?” Billy nearly screamed in surprise when Klarion’s voice came from  _ right behind her! _

“Please tell me you’re asking me and not them.” Billy asked, not sure what she’d do if she had to fight Klarion as well as the six Sins, not to mention their Champion who had stayed back so far.

“Of course I am.” Klarion replied, leaning casually against the air as if it was a solid wall. “So, do you want my help or not?”

Billy wasn't too proud to admit how relieved she was. "I would very much like it," she admitted.

“Well then, I’ll see what I can do.” Klarion promised, reaching out to press a single finger against the air. He then descended down towards where the Sins were, as if he was in an invisible elevator, complete with the faint sound of terrible music.

When Klarion stepped out of his non-existent elevator, and Billy could hear the ding of a bell from where she was, he calmly strolled along to where the Sins were.

“Hello. My name is Klarion the Witch Boy, Lord of Chaos.” He introduced himself, managing to actually sound a little scary in how he gave his name and title. “And you must be the Seven Deadly Sins of Man. I would like to politely request, with all due to respect to your immense power and status, that you kindly  _ fuck off _ . If you don’t, I will be forced to make you.”

“And what power do you have to command us?” The Champion of Sin asked, glaring down at Klarion.

“Quiet boy, the grownups are talking.” Klarion demanded, returning the glare. From where she was Billy could see the Sinful Champion trying, and failing, to speak, mostly likely to give some caustic comment. But no matter what he did no sound seemed to cross his lips. “Now, I will only ask one more time: Leave this world, and swear to never return, or I shall be forced to take action against you.”

“Sorry, little Lord, but you cannot command us.” Pride denied.

“Well, in that case…” Klarion didn’t move, but the butterflies that had mostly been forgotten in the wake of Klarion’s arrival all turned as one and swarmed around the Sins and their Champion.

And then they exploded. Very,  _ very _ loudly, and very,  _ very _ brightly.

Billy, seizing the chance, shot towards the Champion of Sin. She didn’t bother trying to fight him, not when she could do something better. Instead she reached out, grabbed the staff he carried with one hand, and then grabbed his wrist with the other. A brief struggle ensued, a few mere seconds as the disoriantated Champion tried to stop Billy, but she quickly got away with her prize.

“Think you can distract them for a few moments?” Billy asked, a recklessly stupid plan coming to mind. Even as she asked, something in her told her how to put it into action, how to use the staff like she thought she could.

Her parents were going to  _ kill her _ for this, she just knew it.

“Oh well. At least everyone will still be alive," she told herself.

“I can hold them for a short time, yes.” And just like that the various attractions and stands around the festival started to fly into the air and disassemble themselves. Tarps and ropes wrapped up the Sins and their Champion, while wood and metal tried to stab and beat them. “But not for long. Oh, and one more thing?”

“What's that?"

“You need to pay more attention to your surroundings.” Klarion told her, pointing straight up. Where she could see a glowing, golden dome covering the festival. “Because the old man put that up before I saved your family from that ferris wheel, and I don’t think you noticed it.”

Well, nice to know Doctor Nelson was nearby as well.

Wait. Her family had nearly been crushed by that ferris wheel?! Wow, she really did need to learn to pay better attention to her surroundings.

"Thank you," she said sincerely.

“Well, I can’t give your sister that dress I promised if she’s dead, and I hate being in people’s debt.” Was Klarion’s reply as he turned his attention back to the Sins.

Billy simply rolled her eyes as she darted over to where she spotted her family. She landed next to them and held out the staff, placing the end of it solidly on the ground.

“All hands on deck.” Even just saying the words brought to mind all the dinners that Billy hadn’t properly taken part in, all the family moments that she’d missed because of she refused to admit that she wanted to stay and be happy with them.

No more. If they all got out of this alive, and her parents didn’t kill her for what she was planning, then she promised herself that she’d do more to be a part of the family.

Her parents were nowhere in sight, apparently having been separated in the confusion, and she spared a moment to hope that they were alright.

As her siblings and Barry came in, grabbing ahold of the staff, Billy remembered what the wizard had done to her, the scar that she now bore. She didn’t want them to have that, and she could already tell how to avoid it. It was simple, nearly insultingly so.

Billy was quite liking how helpful Solomon’s Wisdom was.

She formed the spell in her head, pulled up the energy that would be required for this. Even without the scar, this would probably hurt them a bit, but she was confident that it wouldn’t nearly be as terrible as what had happened to her.

“Say the word,” She told them, hoping that this would work the way she thought it would, “The one that I use to transform.”

“Shazam!” Just as the bolt came down on the top of the staff, and as Billy pushed her spell and want into it, she spied Klarion appear behind Barry and pull him away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... that's what happens when Billy powers up as a girl. Glad we've established that.
> 
> Also, on a semi-serious note: Gage and Blue have officially written the entire fic. All 31 Chapters of Escape Artist are done. That's not to say WE'RE done, we've got sequels and side stories to do.
> 
> Speaking of which: Our first side story, "Tears of Freedom (Paper Hugs)", is now up. It takes place between chapters 14 and 16 of this fic, so you can go check it out if you wanted. It's on the "Series" page for "Finding Home".


	17. Hug The Villains! (No, Darla...)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Okay, everyone ready?” Billy asked, turning their attention back to the wall of confetti as Barry and Klarion slipped away in another direction.
> 
> "Yep," Darla chirped. "I'm going to hug everyone until they promise to be nice."
> 
> “No, Darla. Fight first, hugs later.” Mary sighed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WOO! Powerups!
> 
> Rock of Eternity Link: (https://discord.gg/C6jSt8FS96)

The lightning didn't hurt as much as she feared and when Mary opened her eyes she was...older and so were her siblings. She wore a white version of Billy's female costume which she loved. White was one of her favorite colors after all. Freddy was wearing blue and standing on both feet without any help for the first time in his life. Pedro was even more muscular in his green outfit, and Eugene's glasses were gone and he was wearing gray. Darla's purple costume had pants and a little half skirt which Mary thought was cute.

"Wow," Freddy's eyes widened as he began hovering. "I can fly!"

Mary sighed. "Guys, focus. We have some bad guys to beat up. We can geek out later."

"Fine," they all sighed.

"The staff is broken," Darla pointed out.

“Well…” Billy looked down at the two halves of the staff. The thing had broken clean through the shaft, right where Billy’s hand was. “I probably should have expected that.”

“Hey! What’s the big idea?” Mary heard from behind her, where she soon spotted Klarion holding Barry back by the collar of his shirt.

“Sorry, not the right kind of lightning for you Speedy.” Klarion said, releasing Barry. “You’ll get yours in due time.”

"I get superpowers too?" Barry brightened. "Sweet!"

“Eh, maybe. Not sure.” Klarion shrugged. “I just know that you getting hit by that would be  _ bad _ .”

“What does that even mean?” Pedro asked.

“I’m a tiny bit clairvoyant.” Klarion explained, pausing briefly to fish some confetti out of his pocket and throw it in the direction of the monsters. It seemed to multiply, soon covering the festival grounds in a colorful confetti cloud. “I know that, sooner or later, something important happens to Speedy here, and getting powers now would interfere.”

“But what did you mean when you said he’d get his?” Pedro pushed. Klarion, in response furrowed his brow and frowned.

“Did I say that? To be honest, I don’t hear most of what I say when I talk about whatever little bits of the future I see.” He sounded quite annoyed at that. Which Mary could understand, seeing the future but not being able to know what you saw sounded really annoying.

"Okay then," Mary blinked. "Once again, guys,  _ focus.” _

“Right, the Sins.” Billy picked up, speaking quickly as the roars of the monsters could be heard. Apparently they didn’t like Klarion’s confetti. “Okay, the very short version of how to use your powers: that power you feel? Push your wants through it, and it should work.”

"Got it," Mary nodded. "Divide and conquer. Once we get rid of the Sins we can focus on their Champion. Billy, any idea how to get rid of them for good?"

Billy cocked her head to the side, as if listening to something for a moment, before nodding.

“The Champion, he’s got a conduit, a… an anchor of some sort. They are tied to it, and if we can get it we can seal them back in it.” Billy explained. “Some kind of glowing ball.”

“...how the hell do you know that?” Freddy demanded.

“One of my superpowers is apparently having a library of trivia in my head.” Billy shrugged. “Some of it is actually useful. But the point is: as long as he has that ball, we can’t beat the Sins permanently.”

"Fun," Mary sighed. "We'll take on the Sins, you get the Champion."

“And I’ll try to get Speedy here back to someone responsible.” Klarion chipped in, throwing an arm around Barry’s shoulders with one hand, holding the two halves of the staff in the other.

When did he get those?

“Why do you call me that?” Barry asked.

“Not sure, I think it’s something I’m getting from later.” Klarion shrugged, pulling Barry away from what was sure to be ground zero of another round of fighting. “Oh, and that confetti will only last another minute or so. Best get ready.”

“Okay, everyone ready?” Billy asked, turning their attention back to the wall of confetti as Barry and Klarion slipped away in another direction.

"Yep," Darla chirped. "I'm going to hug everyone until they promise to be nice."

“No, Darla. Fight first, hugs later.” Mary sighed.

“Oh, and I feel I should say this now,” Billy started, “These powers only last about twelve hours. I was in a rush and couldn’t make them permanent. Later, when we’re not about to fight horrible monsters, I’ll do something about that problem.”

"Aw, man," Freddy groaned. "I'm not changing back. It's too cool."

“I can make it permanent later,” Billy reiterated, looking a bit annoyed, “I was in a rush, and barely have any idea what I’m doing. Unless you’d like a scar to match mine?”

"You're fine," Eugene said quickly. "I don't want a horrible scar."

“Yeah, at least you get a choice…” Billy muttered just as the confetti cloud fell to the ground with all the grace of a bunch of rocks. “Here we go.”

Mary focused and soon found herself in the air as the monsters turned a corner and quickly lunged at them. She was grateful to see that her siblings had also moved. "Come and get me," she called tauntingly. "If you think you can."

"You will regret this," Lust, as she seemed to instinctively recognize, told her. "But I could give you everything if you just stopped fighting."

Mary’s response was to bury her fist in the monster’s face.

"Lady, what I want is for you to leave me and my family alone," she snapped. 

It was here that a red blur sped passed her, and when Mary focused on it she could see that it was Billy, charging directly at the Sins’ Champion. She tried to keep a half eye on the two as Billy slammed into the man, and kept going until they hit the golden barrier that encased the festival grounds, but it was a bit tricky as Lust retaliated.

“Well, at least we don’t have to worry about that guy.” Eugene cheerfully commented as he struggled against the Sin of Greed.

"Thankfully." Mary punched Lust in the face again. "Back off!" She yelled. 

Out of the corner of her eye she could see Darla literally running circles around Sloth while Freddy tried to hit Pride. Pedro and Wrath seemed to be doing about the same as her and Eugene.

* * *

Billy panted as she struggled with the Sinful Champion, feeling far more tired than she had mere moments before.

She’d been in a rush, hadn’t had the time to properly build up the power for her siblings. So she’d had to give them a bit of her own to make up for it. In twelve hours when their powers ran out it would return to her, but until then she wasn’t as strong as she’d like.

But luckily, she didn’t need power to beat this guy, because she had a plan.

He was still hosting Envy, and the Sin was the only thing that made him more than a regular human. She just needed to get the Sin out of him, and then it would easy to finish this.

"Foolish Champion," the man snorted. "You shouldn't have given away your power like that. You'll regret it."

“I don’t need all my power to beat you when you’re only powered by the weakest of the Sins.” Billy snarked, floating back down to the ground. She would need to beat the Sin when it materialized, and there was a very simple way to do that.

She just needed to say one word, and it would be gone.

“I mean, really? You kept  _ Envy? _ ” She laughed, watching carefully for any reaction. “Every Sin you could have kept, and you kept the one that’s just you being sad that you aren’t special? But then, at least if Envy’s back here with you it can’t get in the way of the  _ real _ Sins.”

Billy really hoped that this worked. Despite her words, even with one Sin powering him the other Champion was strong enough to make it hard for her to do this by force.

His eyes glowed an unnatural red and an unearthly shriek split the air as a shadow materialized and the man fell, cradling his right eye which was now glowing silver.

"Gotcha," Billy smirked as the Sin of Envy tackled her to the ground. She didn’t fight it, didn’t do anything as it knocked her onto her back. “You really are the stupidest Sin, aren’t you?”

Envy growled at that, pulling an arm back to attack.

“Shazam.” Billy relished the look on Envy’s face as the bolt came down, cutting straight through the surprised Sin. And, when it did so, it struck Billy and returned her to her regular form.

Her regular, physically  _ male _ form.

Oh, that was going to take some getting used to.

Trying hard to push the mild shock of her body switching genders, and the question of just how she hadn’t noticed this the  _ first time _ when it suddenly felt so obvious, Billy quickly climbed to her feet and started walking towards the other Champion.

"You're a stupid man," she told him, swaying slightly. Apparently the exhaustion from giving her siblings power carried over. Neat. "You should never make deals with demons. I'm going to need that ball back now. Either give it to me or I'll rip your eye out. Your choice."

He glared at her but reluctantly did as ordered and handed her back the ball. As soon as she had it Billy threw it to the ground and stomped on it. To no avail. "Damn," she swore.

“Shazam.” And back to the version of her that could fly. And the one that could actually operate magical balls of sin.

Envy was easy to capture, as they were still weakened by the bolt, so Billy set off towards the others before too long.

Billy found Darla first, who was speeding around Sloth while occasionally throwing a punch at the Sin whenever it was turned away.

"Darla," Billy called. "Move."

Darla zipped out of the way as Billy came closer. "Are you going to fight me or do you just want to surrender? You don't have to expend any effort."

Sloth decided to fight, because apparently none of the Sins understood when they were beaten, but now that Billy had the Ball of Sin it only took a few quick seconds and a bit of help from Darla to cage the monster alongside Envy.

Next was Freddy and Pride who fought about as well as his siblings before being captured as well.

Now that Billy had some backup, Greed, Wrath, and Gluttony fell quickly when the team came up to Eugene and Pedro.

And then there was one.

“Surrender.” Billy ordered as all her siblings landed behind Mary. “You’re outnumbered.”

Lust shrugged. "I'm still going to fight even though I'll lose. I have to say I did  _ something _ ."

“Okay then.”

Lust was captured and sealed away less than five seconds later.

“Woo…” Billy panted when it was all finally over. “We won, yay! I am so tired. On the plus side: I think the plan worked. We totally made some new memories.”

"Yay!" Darla cheered and hugged her sister. "Mission accomplished."

“Right, let’s get this somewhere secure, then I’m going to go and sleep for the next twelve hours.” Billy said, holding up the glowing sphere that held the Sins.

“BIlly? Darla? Eugene?” Billy suddenly heard, followed by the names of her other siblings.

“Over here!” Well, she had hoped to pass out before she had to explain why she gave everyone temporary superpowers, but she supposed she had to do it now.

* * *

Rosa was relieved to finally catch sight of her children although her steps slowed as they got closer. She didn't see her other children but Billy was surrounded by muscular adults wearing different colors of her outfit that bore a resemblance to them.

“It’s temporary.” Billy’s voice, which sounded very tired, called out before Rosa could say anything. “I panicked and needed help.”

Victor groaned and sighed heavily. "We're not mad at you, Billy. Just a little surprised that's all."

“Can we talk at home?” Billy continued. “I got punched in the face a lot, and would really like to lie down. I’m actually a bit scared that I’ll fall over when I power down.”

"Of course, sweetie," Rosa assured him. "Let's get you all back in the van so we can go home."

True to Billy’s word, she did in fact fall over when she returned to her normal form, but luckily Victor was there to catch her. The others all swayed a bit when they turned back, but for the most part her kids seemed fine.

The ride home was silent, with the only sounds coming from Billy as she tapped her fingers against the glowing ball that she’d apparently found somewhere.

“Do we have a safe? Because I really don’t want to leave this thing lying around.” Billy asked as they pulled into the drive.

Victor raised an eyebrow but nodded. "It's in my office," he confirmed.

“Okay, good. I locked all the monsters in this. It’s perfectly safe as long as no one touches it.” Billy sounded positively exhausted as she climbed out of the van, and it was clear that she was trying very hard to stay awake. “...did anyone remember to grab the guy that was controlling them?”

"Klarion was holding him when we left," Barry chipped in. "He said something about turning him in."

“Okay, good. Because I need to sleep until your powers wear off. And I really didn’t want to go and get him.” Billy muttered, her eyes drooping, looking about ready to drop where she stood.

“Why do you need to sleep until our powers wear off?” Freddy asked, helping support his sister as she stumbled to the door.

“Needed a boost,” She slurred, “Used my own power for it.”

Rosa frowned. "That sounds dangerous," she said worriedly.

“It’s safe,” Was the slurred response, peppered by yawning, “Just tiring. When their powers run out it’ll come back to me.”

Billy insisted on transporting the ball of monsters to the safe personally, but after that moved back to bed.

“I’ll find somewhere safer for it tomorrow,’ She promised, falling face first onto her bed, “Just stay out of the office until then so they can’t talk to you.”

"Will do," Rosa promised as she tucked her daughter in. "Sweet dreams," she pressed a kiss to Billy's forehead then turned the light off as she backed out of the room.

“Thanks Mom.” She heard from behind her as she closed the door.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And the Sins are defeated, so we can focus on things we actually care about: like shipping!
> 
> Yes, this series will have Billy find romance later on. I think we're close to the official "start" of that from memory. I know it's one of these upcoming chapters, so watch out for that.
> 
> Also, don't worry: the kids are getting their powers again, but Billy was kind of in a rush and didn't have the time to do it properly here.
> 
> Passionate Spanish, kidnapping threats, and all other sorts of comments are welcomed down below.


	18. Captain Sparklefingers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Not happening," Freddy protested. "I want to keep mine."
> 
> "Freddy," Mary said warningly. "Let Billy get her powers back then we can discuss keeping them permanently."
> 
> “And besides, it’s automatic.” Billy pointed out. “I think I can make permanent ones though…”
> 
> "Yes," Eugene fist-pumped.
> 
> "Guess what," Darla was bouncing. "You have a superhero name now."
> 
> "Please tell me it's not Captain Sparklefingers," Billy begged. It had been one of Freddy's earlier ideas along with Red Cyclone and a few other horrid ones.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nearly done with the Sins Arc (such as it is), before we get back to what Gage and Blue actually care about: character stuff!
> 
> Rock of Eternity Link, for more of Billy Batson: (https://discord.gg/C6jSt8FS96)
> 
> So... we wrote the first chapter of the sequel recently. It was fun, lots of setup for the new story. You're going to love it (hopefully).

Billy frowned as she woke up.

She was still tired, missing a sizable chunk of her personal store of magic, but sleeping had helped knock off the worst of the effects. She’d still be tired until her magic returned to her in a few hours, but at least she could stand without feeling like she was going to pass out.

Progress!

She stumbled down the stairs, not even bothering to avoid the creaky step, and made her way into the living room, where she promptly collapsed face down onto the couch.

"Good morning," Victor sounded amused and she belatedly realized she was lying across two sets of legs. She looked up to see Victor and Barry staring at her, the latter red-faced.

"Morning," she mumbled, not feeling up to moving.

"You look a little better," Barry pointed out, his voice a little squeaky.

"I feel a little better," she admitted. "I've still got a few hours to go before I'm back to normal, but at least I’m not going to fall over from exhaustion."

“Was that a real threat?” Rosa called from another seat.

“That’s basically what happened last night. I didn’t sleep much after meeting my mom, and then there was a long day of shopping, then the fight, and  _ then _ I gave out some of my power to charge up the others.” Billy explained, shrugging slightly from her face down position. “But I’m fine now.”

"You don't look fine," Victor pointed out as he moved her hair so it wasn't trapped under her head.

“Well, mostly fine,” Billy corrected, “I’ll be good once my power returns to me.”

"Not happening," Freddy protested. "I want to keep mine."

"Freddy," Mary said warningly. "Let Billy get her powers back  _ then _ we can discuss keeping them permanently."

“And besides, it’s automatic.” Billy pointed out. “I think I can make permanent ones though…”

"Yes," Eugene fist-pumped.

"Guess what," Darla was bouncing. "You have a superhero name now."

"Please tell me it's not Captain Sparklefingers," Billy begged. It had been one of Freddy's earlier ideas along with Red Cyclone and a few other horrid ones.

Ignoring Freddy's protest Pedro spoke up. "Nah it's Captain Marvel."

“Okay, that’s not too bad.” Billy allowed, deciding to finally roll off the couch. And onto the floor. “Ow.”

Barry offered her a hand which she happily took. After regaining her balance she actually sat on the couch next to him. "Your folks said I could stay til Sunday and Joe agreed."

“Oh, good.” She hadn’t even thought about that. “What are you even doing out here?”

"Joe and I had a fight about my dad," Barry admitted. "He thinks I'm in denial but I'm not! Dad never would've hurt Mom like that."

“Then what happened?” Billy wondered.

"A man in a yellow suit murdered my Mom," Barry admitted. "But everyone thinks my Dad did it and he got sent to jail."

“What? Some dude in a yellow pinstripe?”

Barry shook his head. "It was a superhero costume," he corrected. "But that was before superheroes started showing up. I remember a lot of lightning and when you first showed up I thought maybe you guys were connected but not anymore."

"That's a relief," Billy sighed. "I have enough to worry about without being connected to a murderer."

"So, Billy," Rosa leaned forward to look her in the face. "What are we going to do with that ball you put in the safe? I don't feel comfortable keeping that thing in the house."

"Well after I get my powers back I'll take it to the Rock," Billy promised. 

Mary frowned. "I thought you didn't know how to get back there."

"Oh I figured that out last night," Billy said dismissively. "The Wisdom of Solomon told me how to get there but I'm not sure how to do it when I'm like this."

"So how did that guy find the Rock if it's such a secret?" Pedro wanted to know. 

"My understanding is that the Wizard considered him as a Champion at one time but changed his mind after the Sins spoke to him," Billy explained, recalling what Solomon’s Wisdom had helped her piece together last night. Why she could remember  _ this _ but not whatever she had figured out about making permanent powers was beyond her.

Apparently Solomon’s Wisdom was quite selective about what she could retain while powered down.

“Anyway, he figured out how to make his own… well, let’s call it a key. I’m pretty sure that I can change the locks though, so he won’t get back in.” Billy shrugged. Again, why could she remember this information but not advanced magical theory?

Maybe she should just start writing everything down while she was powered up?

"That's a relief," Rosa smiled. "If I see him again I might make you give me powers just so I can kick his ass. He definitely crossed a lot of lines last night."

"He murdered his family before he attacked us," Freddy explained. "It was all over the news this morning."

“Huh.” Was all Billy had to say on that matter. “Well, anyway. I can take the ball of sin back to the Rock later, so that’s not a problem. If I can’t get back into the Rock then I’ll call Doctor Nelson and ask him to find somewhere safe for it.”

"That's a good idea," Victor nodded approvingly. "Does anyone know  _ why _ Klarion showed up? I'm not complaining because he saved everyone's lives but I'm curious."

“He said he promised Darla a new dress.” Billy remembered. “Something about not being able to pay her back if we all died to the Sins.”

"He remembered!" Darla gleefully clapped her hands. "He said he'd bring me a real princess dress."

“I’ll try and pin him down for you.” Billy promised, not sure if she was referring to Darla or her parents. Either she’d pin Klarion down for that dress, or she’d pin him down so Rosa and Victor could have a  _ Talk  _ with him.

One or the other.

Something occurred to her and she turned back to Barry. "When I power up I can see what the Wisdom of Solomon has to say about your Mom's death," she offered, before remembering that Barry hadn’t known about her powers last night. "Unless you want me to explain my powers?"

"Your folks told me about them while you were sleeping," he explained. “And would your powers really have information about a random murder?”

“Probably not, but I do have a lot of trivia about the supernatural.” Billy said. “There’s a chance that I can find some yellow lightning monster or something.”

"Cool," Barry blinked. "I would really appreciate it."

“No problem. Anything else, or would you like me to try and move the ball to the Rock?” Billy asked, suddenly realizing how bad an idea it was to have that just lying around in her house.

She blamed how tired she was. Better or not, she was still tired.

“Bruce Wayne’s in town.” Eugene commented. “He apparently missed the fight, but he got into Fawcett last night.”

Barry brightened. "Cool. Maybe he brought Jason with him. Wait. How do you even know that?"

Eugene rolled his eyes. "It's called the internet. Plus it's all over the news. He's supposed to be donating money to help fix the carnival."

“Well, that’s nice. We need a new ferris wheel after Klarion turned it into a bunch of exploding butterflies.” Billy commented, before pausing as she heard what she said. “...last night was kind of weird.”

"Just a little bit," Rosa winked. "Hopefully this trip was still better than your first."

"It was," Billy assured her. “I spent it with my family, so it was way better than last time.”

"Is that why you changed your name to Vasquez in the group chat?" Barry asked. 

Fuck!

“You what?” Victor smirked at her, looking quite pleased.

“Okay, I’m taking the orb of sin back to the Rock, who’s coming with me?” Billy asked, rising to her feet to move towards the office where the orb was being kept.

"Me!" All of the kids cried.

“Alright then.” Taking them all into the creepy magical cave was still better than explaining why she’d changed her name in the group chat.

* * *

“You know, you don’t actually need an excuse to check out the new heroes.” Kara commented, looking over to where her cousin sat next to her. “You could just fly over and be back by lunch.”

"It's called keeping a low-profile," Clark reminded her.

“Right,” She drawled in response, “So Superman won’t be seen in Fawcett at all? Because if you’re going to suit up, I don’t see the point in not just doing that in the first place.”

Clark sighed. "I have a cover to maintain, besides I really do need to write a story."

“And how upset is Lois Lane going to be when you miraculously score  _ another  _ exclusive that she wanted?” Kara had no evidence that Clark had beaten out Lane for this job, or even that she wanted it in the first place, but his coworker was probably going to be annoyed anyway if Clark managed to score an interview with any of the new heroes.

Clark groaned. "I didn't even think of that," he said morosely. "No wonder she doesn't want to date me."

“No, that’s because she’s waiting for you to tell her that you’re Superman, and enjoys messing with you until you man up about it.” The woman had actually asked Kara about it months ago. She’d tried to deny it at first, but Lane had put in a lot of work to gather and sort out the evidence.

"She hasn't figured it out yet," Clark persisted.

“Clark, she has an entire notebook of evidence. With pictures. She showed it to me.” How blind could her cousin be? “I also told her.”

Clark laughed. "She probably thought that you were joking."

“I stabbed myself in the arm and broke a knife.” She did feel a bit bad about that, but it was the easiest way to prove it. “I also flew up and touched the ceiling of her apartment. She knows.”

"No she doesn't," Clark insisted.

Kara groaned. “Clark. I flew in front of her. I proved my skin was harder than metal. What more do you want me to do? Video her saying that she knows? Whatever. Your complicated relationship with reality aside: Why am I coming with you to Fawcett anyway?”

"Well I thought you might like to meet the boy in your group chat. Billy right?"

“Yeah. And Barry was apparently looking for somewhere to stay, so I might see him as well.” She confirmed.

"And my sources tell me that Bruce Wayne is in town and he probably brought his son with him," Clark added.

Kara brightened and dug out her tablet.

“Your sources being… Bruce Wayne?” Kara checked as she booted up the tablet. She had no idea what the story was there, but somehow her cousin was good friends with Bruce Wayne.

"Yes actually. He's not as bad as the papers make him out to be."

“One of these days you have  _ got _ to tell me how you met.” She muttered, turning her attention away from Clark and to the group chat.

* * *

Kara: Hey, apparently we’re all going to be in Fawcett at the same time. Who wants to meet up?

Barry: Sure, sounds like fun.

Jason: Why not. I've got nothing better to do.

Billy Vasquez: Barry and I have something I have to take care of first, but that shouldn’t take too long.

Billy Vasquez: Where are we meeting?

Kara: I've never been here before but my cousin is doing a story on the fight at the Winter Festival.

Barry: That was so cool! Scary but definitely cool.

Kara: You were there?! I thought you were with Billy?

Billy Vasquez: We went there to "make memories" and boy did we. 

Jason: Pro-tip: the press can’t talk to you without your guardians’ permission.

Jason: And Barry’s guardian is back in Central, so your cousin’s shit out of luck.

Kara: Do you want to be interviewed, Billy? If not I won't tell my cousin.

Billy Vasquez: I’ll think about it.

Billy Vasquez: There's a park near the Festival where we could meet. There's usually a food truck if we get hungry. Mom said she could take us and keep an eye on everybody.

Jason: I’m sure I can give Bruce the slip for a few hours, so I’m in.

Barry: When you say “give him the slip”, that’s just a figure of speech, right?

Jason: Nope.

Kara: I feel like an accessory to a crime now.

Jason: In case you’re curious: it’s probably “Child Neglect”.

Jason: Due to me being underaged.

Barry: Thanks for that information.

Billy Vasquez: I would have killed for your kind of neglect a few years ago.

Billy Vasquez: How about we meet in an hour? That'll give me time to wrap up something.

Jason: Sounds ominous, but that works for me.

Jason: Sneaking past the security cameras takes some time anyway.

Kara: You scare me sometimes.

Jason: Thanks!

* * *

Good news: Billy managed to teleport everyone to the Rock of Eternity.

Bad news: It was still a creepy cave.

“...and over there is where the wizard shot me six times with lightning bolts to give me superpowers.” Billy pointed as the brief tour of the room came to an end.

Okay, tour was a big word, because Billy didn’t have a lot of information, even Solomon’s Wisdom was being unusually quiet. In reality Billy was just pointing out random things about the… throne room, or whatever the big room was.

"I don't like it," Darla shivered, staying close to Mary.

“Yeah, the place needs a throw rug or something,” Billy was too tired to do more than snark about the cave. It honestly needed some color to liven it up, because everything was the color of rock and stone, “Maybe some beanbags.”

Billy strode up to the waiting pedestal that she instinctively knew was for the sin ball and placed it on it. She had kind of hoped for a vault or something more secure, but this would do until she could work out something better than having it sit out in the open like it currently was.

"It needs glitter," Darla told her. "It's so shiny and it would liven this place up."

“Yeah, that’d be fun.” Billy agreed, smiling at the thought of covering the creepy sin statues in glitter. “Okay, with that done… Barry.”

“You’re really going to leave that just… sitting there?” Eugene asked.

“For now? Yes. No one can get in here after I change the locks, so it should be safe until I can have Doctor Nelson down here.” Billy reassured him, walking back to sit on the steps that led up to the thrones. “Now, Barry. I said I’d try to help find who killed your mom.”

"If you don't mind," Barry said hastily. "I'd really appreciate it."

“Well, let’s see what I can do.”

What followed was what could be best described as a very boring ten minutes, as Barry and Billy went back and forth trying to narrow it down. While Solomon’s Wisdom may not have much to say about the Rock, it was working fine in regards to lightning related trivia.

But, finally, Billy thought that she had a good idea of what it was. Not that the explanation made complete sense to her, but it best fit the evidence.

“Okay, I think I know what it is.” She announced, rising to her feet. She paused for a moment, just as she was about to describe what she’d learned, when she had a thought: what if she could  _ show _ Barry? “And I think I can show you.”

She held out a hand towards the center of the room, focusing on what she knew. A moment later a tornado of yellow lightning shimmered into existence. It was somewhat transparent, and it seemed frozen, as if on pause.

“Does that look familiar?” 

Barry gasped. "That's it. It’s different, but that’s it. How?"

“It’s an illusion,” Billy explained, moving down to step closer to the image, “It’s built from what the Wisdom of Solomon told me about what the most likely culprit is. And… I’m sorry.”

“Why?” Barry asked, turning to look at Billy as everyone else did the same.

“Because your description matches something that Solomon’s Wisdom doesn’t seem to know a lot about, so I don’t know how much help I can be.” Which was actually a little scary to be honest. That there was something out there that the Wisdom just… didn’t have information on.

"That's not good," Mary said worriedly.

“No, it’s not. Because I actually know just enough to know how bad it is that one killed Barry’s mom. Assuming that we’re talking about the right thing.” Billy agreed.

“So what is it?” Barry asked.

“According to Solomon’s Wisdom, your mom was likely killed by that.” Here Billy focused a bit, causing the image to shift and change slightly. Still the tornado, but now there was a humanoid figure within it, and the yellow arcs of lightning seemed to come  _ from _ the figure. “As far as I can understand it’s a person, no different than you or anyone else here.”

“But… the lightning?” Pedro pointed out.

“It’s an energy, some kind of cosmic force.” Billy really wished she had more information than that. “They channel it, it makes them faster.”

“...that’s  _ it? _ ” Freddy asked in the silence that followed, looking a little scared.

“Yeah, that’s all I got. Someone tapped into a…. I don’t know, a speed force or something, and then killed Barry’s mom. That is everything I know, and even some of that is up for debate.” Billy nodded, sharing in the fear that Freddy was clearly feeling.

"Well I know more than I did this morning," Barry sighed. "So thanks."

“I should point out that we don’t know that it’s this.” Billy said, dismissing the image. “You could have missed details, or misremembered something. It was a stressful situation, and there’s so much stuff that you just wouldn’t have known to look for at the time.”

"But still," Barry was grasping at straws. "Now I know I'm not crazy, and that my Dad didn't do it."

“...I’ll ask Doctor Nelson if he’ll take a look around your old house.” Billy promised. “Maybe he can pick up some leftover energy or something that’ll help narrow it down. In the meantime: promise me you’ll be careful.”

“Why?” Barry asked.

“...Have there been any reports, before or after, of anything like what happened to your mom?” Billy asked in return.

“Not, not the exact same.”

“So someone gained the ability to move faster than a bullet, kept their head down until they killed your mom, and then they never did anything to attract attention ever again? Either someone  _ really _ hated your mom, or there’s more going on here than we know.” Pedro chipped in, cutting Billy off before she could say pretty much the same thing.

"I promise," Barry nodded. "I'll be careful."

"Thank you,” Billy smiled. “Now, just let me change the locks to keep… what did you say his name was?”

“Sivanna.” Came the reply.

“Thank you. Let me just change the locks so Sivanna can’t get back in, and we can go to the park and see Kara and Jason.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You know the drill: passionate Spanish, kidnapping threats, suggestions, friendly chats, all are welcome down below.
> 
> Also, speaking of kidnapping threats, Blue got a DM over Discord from Pat (who you may have seen in the comments screaming about taking the kids away from us). Quote: "you have one freebie to be mean to the babies." Thank you Pat, we'll put this to good use, I promise.


	19. Superhero Suspicions or Revelations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Clark," Bruce nodded as he entered the room.
> 
> “Bruce,” Clark returned, looking up for the information he’d gathered.
> 
> "I see you got your interviews. How's the story going?"
> 
> “A few bits that don’t quite match up, but it was a chaotic event.” Clark explained. “As well as a few unconfirmed reports of Doctor Fate being there while fighting.”
> 
> "Hmm," Bruce frowned. "That is interesting. Apparently Klarion was here a few days ago, and some of the whispers that I've heard put someone matching his description there as well."
> 
> “Fate, Klarion, and six new heroes?” Clark mused. “As well as a possible seventh member of this new team.”
> 
> "For such a quiet city Fawcett is suddenly very busy," Bruce commented.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, time for some fun. Meeting new people, characters chatting with each other, the official reveal of the ship, all that good stuff.
> 
> Rock of Eternity Discord Link: (https://discord.gg/C6jSt8FS96)

After dropping Kara off at the park and exchanging pleasantries with Billy's Mom Clark continued on his way to the Winter Festival. Fawcett itself seemed to be a nice town and none of the damage had impacted anywhere but the Festival, which spoke either to the luck or the skill of the six new heroes that had turned up that night.

Initial research suggested seven as a red suited man had been spotted in the previous days, but he hadn't made an appearance at the fight last night. A woman, who looked to be his twin, had shown up instead along with five others.

Clark frowned as he considered what he knew. Each member of the apparent team had their own color. White, green, blue… but two of them were red? It was interesting, and Clark was curious if there was something more there.

The villain had been depowered and arrested, but Clark hadn’t managed to get an interview with them while the authorities were still organizing all the details about his crimes.

So far they included multiple counts of murder (including his own family) plus theft, property damage, and attempted murder on a large scale. It had been classified as a superhero battle, which meant he would be getting a life sentence while being examined by scientists and psychiatrists.

Fawcett also had no experience in superheroics, and thus had to call on other cities for help, but from what Clark heard it was going rather well.

The mayor had been quick to agree to an interview after hearing Clark's name, eager to get more publicity for his city and the Winter Festival which would hopefully be up and running again soon.

They’d need to replace the ferris wheel, which had completely disappeared in the fight, but Bruce Wayne was paying to replace it.

Hopefully he could get there while Bruce and the mayor were still talking so he could get some good pictures of them. People just loved seeing billionaires take interest in the little people. 

When Clark finished his initial interviews and investigations he made his way to Bruce’s local penthouse. He got in easy enough, the perks of being Bruce’s friend, and before long he was flipping through his notes while sitting on the couch.

"Clark," Bruce nodded as he entered the room.

“Bruce,” Clark returned, looking up for the information he’d gathered.

"I see you got your interviews. How's the story going?"

“A few bits that don’t quite match up, but it was a chaotic event.” Clark explained. “As well as a few unconfirmed reports of Doctor Fate being there while fighting.”

"Hmm," Bruce frowned. "That is interesting. Apparently Klarion was here a few days ago, and some of the whispers that I've heard put someone matching his description there as well."

“Fate, Klarion, and six new heroes?” Clark mused. “As well as a possible seventh member of this new team.”

"For such a quiet city Fawcett is suddenly very busy," Bruce commented. "I wonder if this has anything to do with all of the magic users in Gotham suddenly going nuts. There's been power flare-ups all over the place."

“There’s not a lot of those in Gotham,” Clark mused, “But Zatara started acting a bit strange a few weeks ago, and John Constantine dropped off the map. I haven’t heard from a lot of the magical community in recent times, come to think of it.”

"I hate magic," Bruce growled. "When it goes out of whack  _ everything _ goes to hell."

“Don’t think I’d say that I hate it,” Clark commented, “but it’s still annoying.”

Bruce nodded in agreement. "Almost as annoying as Jason 'sneaking out unnoticed'."

“Didn’t he actually get out of the building before you noticed last time?” Clark innocently asked.

Bruce's eyes narrowed. "He went to the park to hang out with his friends from a group project in school, including your cousin."

“Don’t worry, Kara can control her powers.” Clark promised. It had taken some time, but he’d managed to help her control her powers enough to not be dangerous to everyone around her.

"I'm not worried about her or her friends. I'm more worried about Jason doing something stupid and revealing our secret identities. I already checked everyone in the group and they all seem to be clean. One of them is a runaway and occasional pickpocket but he hasn't done anything in weeks."

“Yeah, I’m sure you’re upset that you didn’t get the chance to adopt  _ another _ dark haired orphan.” Clark snarked. “What was his name? Bat son?”

Bruce cleared his throat uncomfortably and Clark's jaw dropped. 

"You're kidding."

Bruce shrugged. "I won't lie - I did think about it but he seems to be doing well with his latest foster family but I will be keeping an eye on him. Just in case."

“Of course.” Clark smiled at his friend’s clear worry. “But back on topic: the new heroes?”

"I don't know much," Bruce admitted, somewhat reluctantly. "For newbies they seemed to have a good grasp on their powers, so I suspect that they've had training."

“Did you notice the colors?” Clark asked, remembering one of the stranger things he’d noticed. “No two alike, except for red. And the woman in red was, according to what I learned, the first on the scene, the others didn’t turn up until a few minutes later. And when they did, the man in red wasn’t with them.”

"I did. The only thing they had in common was the lightning bolt symbol and there were a  _ lot _ of reports about thunder and lightning last night. Those two things seem to indicate that they may have weather related powers."

“So where do you think they came from?” Clark wondered. “You can’t exactly practice weather powers without  _ someone _ noticing.”

"Unless someone  _ did _ notice and that's why Doctor Fate was in the area," Bruce pointed out. "I suspect their powers are magic based and if that's the case he may have decided to take them under his wing and that's how they had a good grasp on their powers."

“...I saw Kent the other day actually.” Clark remembered. “He stopped by my apartment unexpectedly, to talk. That was the same day that the man in red was seen.”

"That is strange," Bruce frowned. "But magic users can be unpredictable, even him."

“Why do I have the horrible feeling that we’re two steps behind whatever is going on in this city?” Clark asked, frowning at the thought. He never liked being behind in these situations, it rarely ended well.

"Because we probably are, and I suspect the man in red is the main reason why," was Bruce's cryptic response. 

“Want me to see if I can’t lure any of them out?” Clark asked. “New heroes tend to be a bit starstruck when they see me in their cities.”

Bruce sighed. "It certainly can't hurt," he admitted. "They're usually too scared to tell me anything."

“You say that like you  _ haven’t _ spent the last several years deliberately building that reputation.” Clark pointed out.

"It's useful in Gotham," Bruce grumbled.

“You threatened Diana when we first met.” Clark reminded his friend. “She was eating ice cream.”

"Boundaries had to be established," Bruce insisted.

“I’ll go out tomorrow, see if anyone reacts to Superman being in Fawcett.” Best to change the subject before Bruce really got going. "So tell me what you're doing for the city. I've got to get something from you to add to my article."

* * *

It wasn’t until they were pulling up to the park that Billy realized something.

She was still wearing a skirt.

Considering that she forgot that last night when they went to see Barry, she really needed to remember to pay more attention to what she was wearing when meeting new people.

"I think you look great," Barry smiled at her. "I'm sure the others will think so too."

“It’s just… it’s just a bit scary.” Billy quietly admitted, playing with the hem of her skirt. “Everyone’s been so nice about it, but I can still remember what happened last time someone found out.”

Barry hesitated, obviously wanting to ask but unsure of whether or not to do so. "I don't know what happened, but I know your parents will kick some serious ass if anyone gives you trouble."

“...yeah, yeah they will.” Billy knew that, but it was still hard to forget what her last foster family had done when they found out. The bruises had, mostly, faded to nothing by now, but she could still remember them.

"They seemed cool though so I doubt they'll care," he added.

“Hopefully.” Was Billy’s response.

They had just got out of the van, when they came face-to-face with a boy. He had black hair with red roots and a few red ends and looked a little preppy, yet he had clear muscle, as well as a general air about him that reminded Billy of the other kids he had met on the streets.

"Jason," he introduced himself.

“Barry,” Barry replied smiling.

“B-Billy.” She stuttered, a bit scared of the reaction to Jason taking notice of her.

"Huh," Jason blinked as he looked at her skirt and makeup. "Guess I can't call you a bitch either."

“No, you can’t.” Another voice called out from behind Jason.

Kara, at least Billy assumed it was her, was  _ gorgeous _ . Her hair was long and blonde, and she had rosy cheeks, and bouncing- shit. Not another one. It was bad enough that Barry was so adorable, now she had to deal with Kara.

Hopefully Kara’s looks were the only thing that got Billy's attention, as she couldn't handle liking  _ two _ people at once. She could barely handle liking Barry! 

Maybe she could ask Mary for help with her emotions, because this was really hard to deal with alone.

At least she didn’t seem to fall for Jason instantly, that would be more than she could handle right now.

“Um, uh… hi.” Billy stuttered, flustered a bit at the sight of the blonde.

"Billy, right? I'm Kara. I'm going to assume the ass is Jason and the boy making eyes at me is probably Barry."

There was silence for a moment then Jason grinned. "I like her," he decided.

Kara ignored the man with her who was chatting with Rosa as she stepped forward. "It's nice to finally meet all of you in person. I've been looking forward to this."

“Yeah, so have I.” Billy quickly agreed, feeling some combination of confident, due to their lack of care about her being a girl, and on edge, because Barry and Kara together was nearly more than her heart could take.

Jason was good looking as well, but he didn’t make her heart flutter like the other two did.

Jason rolled his eyes. "Can you guys stop making googly eyes at each other? It's nauseating." He pointed at Billy and Barry who both turned red.

"We are not," Barry exclaimed.

“Right,” Jason drawled in response, turning to walk towards a nearby park table.

"Seriously," Barry followed him. "We're not making eyes or anything. You're just imagining things."

“Right.” Jason repeated in the same tone.

After they all sat down Kara spoke. "So what was the Festival like, before the monsters attacked? Was it fun?"

"Considering the last time I went my birth mom just left there, yeah it was definitely more enjoyable," Billy answered. "My siblings and I all had fun. Darla had like ten stuffed animals when we left but I think she lost a few while running away."

“Yeah, not surprising given how crazy things got.” Barry agreed.

"So did you see the superheroes?" Jason asked, his eyes wide. 

Barry nodded eagerly. "Oh yeah they were so cool. In fact I even got to talk to the really hot one in red...ow!" He ruefully rubbed his shin, ignoring the glare Billy was sending him. "What was that for?" He whined.

"It's not polite to compliment other girls when you're on a date with your girlfriend," Kara pointed out. "I would've kicked you too."

“We, no we’re not, we’re not dating.” Billy rushed to explain, turning red at the thought.

She had only kicked Barry because she thought he was going to let something slip, not because she liked him. Right?

"We're not dating," Barry reiterated, blushing a bit. "I was just going to say I wished I had gotten her autograph. But Billy and I aren't dating."

"Yet," Jason muttered.

Kara frowned at him. "You love to stir things up, don't you? Why don't we get back to the monsters - there were seven of them right?"

"I-I think so," Billy stammered. "Plus the creepy guy. He tried to blow us all up."

"But the superheroes stopped him," Barry added. "And so did some kid named Klarion. He turned the ferris wheel into butterflies."

“Klarion? Didn’t he fight Superman a while back?” Jason asked, turning to Kara.

"Yeah," she sighed. "Totally kicked his ass too then left. Apparently he was 'bored'."

"I wonder why the guy he fought didn't turn up," Jason mused.

Billy laughed weakly. Good grief, this was awkward, talking about her alter egos while trying not to let anything slip. She needed to talk to Freddy more about superheroing tips it seemed. 

"There's no telling," Kara answered. "He might've decided that he didn't like fighting crime. Not everyone who has powers decides to use him."

“Maybe he was busy?” Billy suggested, feeling the need to defend herself a little. “It’s a big city, maybe he was somewhere else.”

"Or someone else," Barry suggested. "Ow! Stop kicking me."

Billy then resolved to drag Barry to talk to Freddy about secret identities. At this rate she was going to be ousted before the day was up.

“If you aren’t dating, why are you kicking him?” Jason asked.

"Because the superheroes asked us not to talk about them?" Billy came up with. "They didn't want their family to be harmed so they asked us not to say anything," she directed her glower at Barry who grinned sheepishly.

“...but you don’t know anything?” Kara pointed.

Billy sighed. This was difficult, far more so than she had thought. "The man in red saved my little sister's life the other day. In exchange we agreed not to mention it to anyone in case someone thought we were connected, which we are not."

Jason looked at her for a long moment, as if he was considering her for a moment, before he spoke.

“So, how did you get powers?” He asked.

Billy and Barry froze while Kara looked between the three of them in confusion before her eyes widened. "Oh boy," she sighed. 

"From a creepy ass wizard," Billy sighed, sensing it was pointless to deny it. 

“Huh.” Was all Jason had to say about it.

"Gave me a horrible scar then died. Mom says he was an ass."

“He was.” Barry agreed.

"So that's why there was a red man and woman," Kara gasped. "It was just you on different days, am I right?"

“Please don’t tell anyone?” Billy asked, remembering that Kara’s cousin was a reporter.

"I won't," she promised. "It's not my secret to tell. I wouldn't put your family in danger like that."

“Thanks.”

And  _ there _ it was: Billy completely falling for Kara.

Fuck.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And the ship is... still in port, but at least now we're going to talk about the ship. The endgame ship is not Billy/Barry, as some (Pat) have assumed, but instead Billy/Barry/Kara.
> 
> Passionate Spanish, threats of kidnapping, questions, and many other things are welcome down in the comments.
> 
> Angry rants about the ship, if you disagree with it, are NOT welcome. If your comment is just hate because we thought a three-way ship was fun, then it will be deleted. We don't want to sound like hardasses, but we both agree that we aren't here to host purely hateful comments that don't actually add anything.
> 
> Pat Pass For Hurt: Still not used.


	20. Superhero Visits

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Um… hi, Mister Superman Sir.” He greeted, sounding positively starstruck. Clark couldn’t help but smile a bit at that, hopeful that this meeting would go well.
> 
> "Hello," Clark said. "I wanted to welcome you to the superhero business, maybe talk for a few minutes?"
> 
> "I guess that'd be okay," The other man muttered, seeming a little nervous. Nothing unusual, most were when meeting him.
> 
> "Do you have a name? I know your sister is called "Captain Marvel"."
> 
> “Um, yeah, that’s… that’s me.” The man(?) explained. “It’s a bit confusing, I know.”
> 
> Clark blinked. "I've never heard of superpowers that change genders before."
> 
> The new hero just shrugged, “I’m still working it out myself.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, lot going on in this chapter. Well, here's hoping you enjoy it all!
> 
> Rock of Eternity Link, for more Billy Batson: (https://discord.gg/C6jSt8FS96)

Clark looked down at the city from the rooftop he’d chosen. The newly minted “Captain Marvel” hadn’t turned up, but Clark had been spotted by the press not too long ago, so he wasn’t expecting this to take much longer.

Out of respect for possible work hours, Clark knew full well that a lot of heroes had day jobs, he hadn’t bothered to put on his cape until six in the afternoon, which he judged to be after most people got off work.

It only took fifteen minutes after the press turned up for one of the new heroes to arrive, which Clark figured was a pretty respectable response time for a newcomer without experience. It could be better, but for someone that was inexperienced it wasn’t too bad.

It was the male in red, the one that hadn’t been at the Festival attack.

He was tall, well muscled in much the same way that Clark himself was. He had dark hair, and had no mask to hide his blue eyes. The base of his outfit was red, with golden boots, golden gauntlets around his forearms, and a golden sash. A white cape, with golden trimming, flowed out behind him, and a large golden symbol of a stylized lightning bolt marked his chest.

“Um… hi, Mister Superman Sir.” He greeted, sounding positively starstruck. Clark couldn’t help but smile a bit at that, hopeful that this meeting would go well.

"Hello," Clark said. "I wanted to welcome you to the superhero business, maybe talk for a few minutes?"

"I guess that'd be okay," The other man muttered, seeming a little nervous. Nothing unusual, most were when meeting him.

"Do you have a name? I know your sister is called "Captain Marvel"."

“Um, yeah, that’s… that’s me.” The man(?) explained. “It’s a bit confusing, I know.”

Clark blinked. "I've never heard of superpowers that change genders before."

The new hero just shrugged, “I’m still working it out myself.”

"So what all can you do?" Try as he might Clark could never fully turn off the reporter side of him.

“Um… flight, superstrength, superspeed, the lightning, I’m  _ way _ more durable…” Captain Marvel trailed off for a bit, thinking it over, “I know a lot about magic, that’s one of them… something about courage, but I’m not clear on what that really means.” He paused again, giving an embarrassed smile. “I’m still working a lot of it out to be honest.”

"That's a lot," Clark remarked, dreading Batman's reaction to such a powerful newbie. "What about your team? Do they have the same powers?"

“Not really a team.” Captain Marvel said. “I needed help, and my family was there, so I lent them a bit of my power. I  _ think _ I can do it permanently, but I haven’t had the time to look into it.”

Just what they needed. Multiple overpowered newbies. Batman was going to be pissed about this news. Clark himself didn’t much care, he welcomed anyone that wanted to help and had the ability to do so, but unfortunately  _ he  _ was the one that had to tell Bruce about this.

"Do you need any help?" Clark offered. "I know a few magic users who might be able to help with your powers."

“Doctor Nelson reached out,” Marvel explained, smiling at the thought of the sorcerer, “He’s been teaching me.”

Clark nodded, tucking the information away for later. Bruce would be pleased to know that one of his theories had proven correct. "That's good. I didn't have anyone to teach me so I had to learn the hard way." He chuckled at the memory.

"That sucks," Marvel said sympathetically. "I don't know what I would've done if Doctor Nelson hadn't shown up when he did."

“Well, I’m over in Metropolis if you ever need anything.” Clark offered. “Don’t be afraid to visit if you want some help with anything.”

"Same to you," Marvel waved then flew away.

As Clark turned to leave, and figure out how he was going to tell Bruce about this, he heard Captain Marvel quietly in the distance.

_ “Superman invited me to visit!” _

Clark had to smile as he took to the air: Marvel had held out longer than most before he started fanboying over meeting Superman.

Now all he had to do was go see Bruce again then he could go home and finish writing his article.

* * *

“You met  _ Superman?!” _ Freddy all but shrieked when Billy got home.

"Dude, that's my ears," Billy complained. "But yes, I did, and yes he's  _ way _ cooler In real life."

“Damn, I wish I could meet Superman.” Freddy complained. “You have all the luck.”

Billy shot him a look. "Just for that I won't take you with me when I go visit him in Metropolis. He said I could if I needed help."

“I miss my powers…” Freddy sulked. “They were so cool.”

"Well...I might be able to help with that," Billy admitted. Within seconds he was surrounded by his siblings. "I wrote down my idea on how to give you guys powers without weakening me.”

He had to go and get the notebook he’d used, which he had left in his room when they got back from the Rock of Eternity yesterday, but Billy was soon back in the living room with his siblings.

“Okay, so I don’t actually remember how to do this right now, which is  _ really _ annoying… But I wrote it all down in simple words for me to read later.” Billy explained, flipping through the book to where he had written his notes.

“Okay, so the wizard made my powers by getting the blessings of a number of powerful entities and binding those blessings to a word. Say the word, get the power.” Billy began.

"Ooh can I pick the god? Cuz I don't think Courage is very important," Freddy said excitedly. 

“Yeah, I’m not sure what that does…” Billy admitted. “But the wizard thought it was needed, so maybe it’s more helpful than I think it is. Anyway, my plan was to find other gods or the like, and ask them for blessings. That means that yes, you would get to choose. Maybe.”

"I want to be fast," Darla chirped. "Mommy calls me her little ball of sunshine though so that would be cool too."

“It really depends on who I can find and convince to agree to this.” Billy explained, flipping to another page and starting a list of requests. “But I’ll see what I can do."

"Can I get a goddess?" Mary asked. "I don't really want to ask favors from some creepy old guys."

“Shouldn’t be too hard.” Billy muttered, scribbling down some thoughts next to Mary’s name. He’d need to hit up the internet to find the right gods and goddesses, and then he had to actually work out where they were, what they wanted in exchange for their blessings…

This was probably going to take a while, but hopefully he wouldn’t be working alone.

“Doctor Nelson mentioned something about making portals to places that I’ve been, so if I can learn to do that I can always get home at the end of the day, no matter where I go.” That was more for Rosa and Victor, who he could see listening from the kitchen. He knew that they’d worry, even if he occasionally had a hard time accepting that fact, so he wanted to try and make them worry a little less.

"That's probably a good idea," Pedro agreed. "We still need to figure out names though."

“That’s not my problem right now.” Billy shrugged, trying to decide if he could find that island Wonder Woman was from. He’d have to wait until he was having a girl day for it, because he seemed to remember that they had something against guys. “I have a list of gods to write.”

Billy paused for a moment, bracing himself for what was next, but this was important.

“Okay, let’s hear it. Give me your ideas and requests.” He needed to know what he was looking for, but he was not looking forward to what was sure to be a long night of hashing out the details with his siblings.

Things quickly got loud.

* * *

Kara sat back in her seat as the train sped back to Metropolis. It was nice to visit Billy’s town, and learn that Billy was apparently a superhero. She’d promised not to tell Clark, and she had meant it. Clark was as oblivious about Captain Marvel’s identity as he was about Lois Lane’s feelings.

The others in her group project, which they’d not talked about much, had been nice. Jason was even more of an ass in person, but she had actually grown to respect his blunt nature. He spoke his mind, and didn’t seem to see the point in making his words sound nice. He said what he meant, and Kara could respect that.

Barry was nice, a bit geeky and clearly had a crush on Billy, but nice. He was probably going to be grounded for running away, but it didn't seem like a new occurrence. If some of what he had said was to be believed.

Billy….well Billy was definitely going to be interesting. They had magic and the ability to turn into an adult superhero. They were nice, and kinda cute in a skirt the same way Barry was cute in his "Arrow" shirt. They both seemed smart and had clearly thought she was attractive (unlike Jason she had been polite enough  _ not _ to mention it).

Billy seemed a bit shy, unsure of themself, but Barry seemed to be working to help there. Billy was sweet, and had been pretty funny when they came out of their shell.

Barry had been sweet, and funny, and clearly cared about people, and…

And she had clearly fallen for the both of them.

Fuck.

Two weeks after Billy had met the others in the group project, which was progressing rather nicely, things were going pretty good for her.

She’d managed to track down a handful of the gods that she wanted, and get them to agree to give their blessings. She’d stored the power that they gave her in the Rock of Eternity, where it would wait until she needed it, but so far things had been going rather well on that front.

She understood her powers a bit more, and her lessons with Doctor Nelson were progressing nicely. Fawcett was adjusting to having their own superhero, even if the response to Captain Marvel being genderfluid (as Billy had explained to the press after a hostage situation) was a bit mixed. There was a lot of support for it, but some people were quite outspoken in their dislike.

Billy mostly ignored that lot, and tried to focus on the positive side of things.

Today she wasn’t in Fawcett, she was slipping into Central using a simple invisibility spell that Doctor Nelson had taught her. Fawcett was watched over, Billy had given a small bit of her power to Freddy to hold on to for a few hours.

It ensured that Fawcett was safe, and it gave Freddy some practice for when Billy finished building the new powers for her siblings. The next time she had to leave the city she’d choose another sibling, and then another the time after that, and eventually cycle back around to Freddy.

It meant that she wasn’t at full power, but with her only powering one or two of her siblings at once, rather than all five, she wasn’t nearly as tired as she had been that night.

Billy came down in an alleyway near the Central City Museum, quickly muttering the word that turned her back to normal once she was on solid ground.

She shuddered a little at the way her body felt, but quickly shook it off. It was a bit weird, going from physically female to physically male, but Billy knew from experience that she’d adjust soon enough.

Barry had called and asked if she wanted to see the new exhibit, stuttering all the while. She had agreed, it was a good time to try out the mascara Mary had helped her apply. And besides, she’d run into a bit of a wall with the latest goddess she was tracking.

Athena was surprisingly hard to pin down, but Billy was determined.

“Billy!” She heard Barry call as she came out of the alley, waving at her from near the front of the museum. She smiled a bit as she climbed the steps, quickly approaching her friend.

“Hi Barry.” She returned. “Thanks for inviting me.”

"No problem. Iris and Joe aren't museum people and Eddie’s having family problems plus I thought you might like it. Since you know, you never had time to do this before on account of searching for your bio-mom."

“Aw, thanks.” Billy fought off the urge to blush at his words, and quickly changed the subject. “Is Eddie alright? That cousin of his giving him trouble?”

“Nothing serious from what I understand,” Barry shrugged, “His cousin came down with a cold, and he had to stay home and take care of them.”

“Oh, that’s too bad, I wanted to meet them.” She’d heard a little about Eddie’s cousin, and couldn’t deny that she was at least a little interested in meeting them. “So, should we go in?”

"Uh, yeah sure," Barry grinned. He held the door open and pretended to bow. "After you."

“Thanks.” She smiled, quickly stepping inside to hide the blush that always seemed to come up whenever Barry did something nice for her.

She really needed to talk to Mary about this when she got home.

The museum was big and boasted lots of exhibits. The newest one focused on Star Labs, Central City's biggest selling point. It offered information on their founder, Dr. Harrison Wells and their newest project: a particle accelerator. 

Billy wasn’t too interested in this sort of science, but she found Barry’s excitement for the accelerator to be a little infectious, and couldn’t help but smile as he rambled about all the possible discoveries it could lead to.

He had talked about nothing else since the exhibit had been announced and it had taken hardly any convincing to get her to ask Rosa to give permission to attend the activation with Barry.

It wasn’t always easy to remember to ask permission for things like that, Billy was used to being on her own, but she was trying to put in an effort. Her family deserved that much, after all they’d done and continued to do for her.

Barry had promised that next time they could do something that she wanted, and the thought of a "next time" made her just a little bit giddy.

“I had a good time Barry, thanks again for asking me to come.” She told him as they left.

"Thanks for coming," he turned just a little red. "I had a great time too. I can't wait to do this again."

“Yeah, neither can I.” She smiled as she turned back towards the alley where she could transform.

* * *

New Years with the Vasquezes proved to be quite nice. The entire family stayed up until midnight, waiting for the new year to come in, and they all sat in the living room and had a good time together as they waited.

“You know, this will be the first time in years I was with a family on New Years.” Billy commented at one point, looking over his family. “I think I’m looking forward to doing it again next year.”

So much had changed in the short time that Billy had been here, even ignoring that he was a superhero now, but he honestly wasn’t sure if he’d change anything about it if he could. He was better now, stronger now. It was still hard sometimes, to be a part of the family, to be genderfluid, to be a superhero, but the people around him were always there for him.

It was nice to have that kind of support.

“I know that I’m looking forward to you being here next year, Billy.” Victor, his  _ dad _ , told him. And how funny was that? He had a dad now, he’d never had one of those before. A few nicer foster fathers maybe, but they were nothing like Victor.

"Agreed," Rosa reached over and ruffled his hair. Physical affection was another thing that Billy had trouble with sometimes. He nearly never had trouble accepting it, just a few really bad days that were few and far between, but he still hadn’t mustered the courage to initiate any, no matter how much he wanted to. "We like having you here and we hope you stay here, Mister Escape Artist."

Billy flushed and nodded, smiling up at his mom. His real mom, who loved him. "I don't plan on leaving," he assured her, just as the crowd on the tv started shouting as midnight hit.

A new year with a new family.

**“Champion.”** The word, which cut over the family’s own cheers and celebrations, made the hairs on the back of Billy’s neck stand on edge.

Quickly rising to his feet and turning around, the word to transform on his tongue, Billy froze when he saw the figure standing in the doorway.

They were in blue robes, with various golden highlights. They had a large golden cape, and a golden helmet that covered everything but two shining eyes.

Billy had never met them before, should have had no reason to know the name of the person that had invaded his home, but…

But the magic from Captain Marvel was bleeding over to Billy. Every day a little more of it settled within him, and changed him slightly. He could see things now, things that he’d never known to even look for before, and he knew that there was so much that he still couldn’t see.

So when he looked at the intruder he knew their name, even if he had never heard it before.

“Nabu.” Even the name that Billy breathed was scary, in some strange way. It felt like it had power, not unlike how Shazam’s name was the word that Billy used to transform.

**“You must prepare.”** Nabu the Wise declared.

"Prepare for what?" Billy asked. He was aware of his family coming to stand near him, a silent showing of support that helped soothe Billy’s nerves.

**“The disgraced Champion, Teth-Adam, shall break free of his prison by the year’s end.”** Nabu explained, and it was only now that Billy took note of Nabu’s voice. Or voices. He could hear Nabu, an immensely powerful thing that made Billy want to scream in absolute horror because it was standing so close to him, but he could hear Doctor Nelson’s voice as well, speaking nearly in unison with Nabu.  **“The oath-breather shall come for you, his successor, and seek to destroy you.”**

"Why? What have I ever done to him?" Billy wanted to know. A hand on his shoulder, Rosa, helped Billy push back the panic that started to rise up in him. It was still there, but Billy could ignore it for a bit longer at least.

**“When the wizard Shazam died, you inherited all of his power, including his position on the Council of Eternity.”** What?  **“Teth-Adam is the responsibility of the Council, and you are the last surviving member.”**

“Can’t you deal with him?” Mary demanded. Nabu simply turned their head, and for one heart stopping moment Billy feared that Mary was about to be struck down for speaking. But then Nabu spoke.

**“Teth-Adam is not under the purview of Fate. While I could fight him, and could seal him away should I defeat him, only the Council of Eternity has the power and authority to permanently defeat the threat he poses.”** Nabu explained.

“So how am I meant to prepare for him?” Billy asked in a mildly desperate hope to draw Nabu’s attention back to himself. Luckily it worked.

**“The Rock of Eternity holds all the answers you seek."** And then, with a golden glow that blinded Billy for a moment, Nabu was gone.

"Dude, your life totally sucks," Freddy commented a few moments later.

"I know,” Billy sighed, pinching his nose, "I know."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Billy and Barry are totally not going on dates. Nope. Not at all. They're just friends.
> 
> They're totally dating, they're both just too dumb to realize it.
> 
> Anyway, other things from this chapter: Superman chats with Cap, Kara realizes she has feelings for the two idiots, a family moment at New Years' Eve, and Doctor Fate is here to tease the sequel. Yeah, Adam's not turning up in this story.


	21. In Which Iris Thinks That Barry's Dating A Crossdresser

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Barry sighed, sensing this discussion wasn't going to end anytime soon. "We went on a picnic," he admitted. "Billy wanted someone besides their siblings to try their cooking."
> 
> Iris straightened. "You had a picnic." It wasn't a question but Barry nodded anyways. "Billy cooked and you expect me to believe it wasn't a date?"
> 
> “I’m pretty sure I’d know if I was on a date.” Barry tried.
> 
> Iris shot him a pitying look. "Oh, Barry, you're hopeless. Whenever you come to your senses let me know."
> 
> “Yeah, sure, whatever.” Barry shrugged.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rock of Eternity Link, for more Billy Batson: (https://discord.gg/C6jSt8FS96)

Barry smiled as he walked into the park, spotting Billy set up under a tree.

Billy had called him, said that they’d been learning to cook, and wanted to know if Barry wanted to try some of their food.

Barry, with nothing better to do that Saturday, quickly agreed.

“Hi Billy.” He greeted, sitting down on the large blanket that Billy had brought. 

“Hi Barry,” Billy replied, smiling at him briefly as he brought plastic containers out of the basket he had brought.

The two talked as they ate, and Barry happily admitted that Billy’s food was pretty good. Not perfect, there was clear room for improvement, but it was better than anything Barry could do.

Billy told him about his search for Gods and Goddesses and how it was both fun and annoying at the same time. He had spent a lot of time searching for beings that even had the powers his siblings wanted, and then had to figure out where they were. All in all it was a hassle but Billy said that it was ultimately worth it.

“I’m making good progress with it,” Billy explained, smiling cutely as he spoke, “I think I’ll be able to start infusing the others with their new powers soon.”

"That sounds awesome," Barry grinned. "Can I watch? I'd love to see it in action."

“Of course,” Billy agreed, “I did consider building up your own powers for you, but after what Klarion said…”

Barry pouted but nodded in understanding. When beings that could see into the future warned against doing something it was probably a good idea to listen. Even if he didn't like it.

The idea that he may be getting his own powers one day was enough to tide him over for the most part. He was still a bit jealous of Billy and their siblings, but he just had to satisfy himself with the thought that he would get his own powers.

Hopefully they’d be as cool as Billy’s whenever they came in.

"How is Klarion doing?" Barry asked, knowing that the Lord of Chaos often stopped by to "battle" Billy, but usually ended up just hanging out and teaching magic. 

“He’s been on edge since New Years.” Billy admitted, frowning in clear thought and worry. “Can’t say I blame him, not after what happened on New Years.”

Barry leaned forward eagerly. "What happened?"

“Did I- did I forget to tell you?” Billy sounded genuinely surprised at his mistake. “Sorry, things have been a bit hectic in the last few weeks.”

“It's fine," Barry told him. "But spill: what happened?"

"Nabu the Wise showed up," Billy admitted. "He gave me some cryptic warning about the Champion before me showing up then left."

Barry blinked. "Who the hell is Nabu the Wise? I've never heard of him before."

“I think most people call him “Doctor Fate”. He’s a Lord of Order, basically Klarion’s opposite.” Billy explained, sounding more worried and scared with every word. “He told me that before the year ends I’ll have to fight the Champion before me.”

"That's not good," Barry frowned. "I've heard of Doctor Fate before, he's a kick-ass sorcerer."

“Yeah, and he refuses to help because apparently it’s  _ my _ job to fight this guy!” Billy ranted.

"That sucks," Barry sympathized. "But at least your siblings can help you and if I have my powers by then I'll help too."

“Thanks,” Barry couldn’t help but watch the way Billy’s cheeks reddened at his offer, smiling a bit at the sight.

* * *

Barry was still smiling when he got home, confident that he could get his homework done before Joe got home.

Yeah, it would probably seem a bit shady if anyone noticed that both of the times Barry went out to meet up with Billy Joe wasn’t home.

He wasn’t ashamed of being friends with Billy of course. Billy was amazing, and wonderful, and Barry was already looking forward to whenever they could meet up again. But Joe… Barry loved Joe, the man had taken him in, had raised him, had helped him so much over the years.

But Joe was also a bit overbearing at times. Barry could still remember when Iris had first introduced Eddie, and he wasn’t keen to have a starring role in a repeat of  _ that _ performance.

Things were still awkward when Eddie came over for crying out loud, and he’d been dating Iris for over a year now! Barry wasn't going to risk being forbidden to see Billy if Joe thought the other kid wasn't any good. He wasn't sure how Joe would react to the "genderfluid" thing, and Billy had enough negativity to deal with. 

And, if nothing else, Barry and Joe’s relationship had been a bit strained since Barry had run off to Fawcett without warning. He’d been right about Joe’s reaction to that, and he’d been forced to attend a number of therapy sessions to “help process his emotions” or something, but things between the two were starting to mend again.

To his surprise Iris was waiting in the kitchen, smirking when she saw him. "So how was your date?"

“Wha-what date? It wasn’t a date!” He stuttered in shock.

Iris rolled her eyes. "Barry, you've snuck out multiple times now to go and see this Billy kid."

“Yeah, they’re a friend.” He insisted, his shock fading to confusion.

"Your smile looks a bit giddy," Iris pointed out, "Plus you're blushing now."

“N-no I’m not.” He told her, trying to make himself stop smiling. It wasn’t easy, especially when he was thinking of Billy, but he hoped he had some success.

"Barry," Iris's voice was gentle. "I don't think Dad would mind you dating a boy."

“Right, because he was totally on board when  _ you _ started dating a boy.” He pointed out, trying to change the subject.

"Fair enough," she shrugged. "But you know you can tell me and I won't tell him, and neither would Eddie. We're both here if you need someone to talk to or get advice from."

“...thanks, but like I said: it wasn’t a date.” He reminded her. “I just met up with a friend, and we had a good time.”

"So what did you guys do? You can at least tell me that much."

Barry sighed, sensing this discussion wasn't going to end anytime soon. "We went on a picnic," he admitted. "Billy wanted someone besides their siblings to try their cooking."

Iris straightened. "You had a picnic." It wasn't a question but Barry nodded anyways. "Billy cooked and you expect me to believe it wasn't a date?"

“I’m pretty sure I’d know if I was on a date.” Barry tried.

Iris shot him a pitying look. "Oh, Barry, you're hopeless. Whenever you come to your senses let me know."

“Yeah, sure, whatever.” Barry shrugged.

“So, tell me about Billy.” Iris asked.

Barry brightened. "Billy's great. They love the color red. They just got a new red skirt and it looks great on them, and their Mom and older sister are helping them learn how to do their makeup."

“Oh yeah?” Iris asked. “Did Billy look good in her makeup today?”

“What? No. Billy wasn’t wearing makeup today, why would they?” Billy wasn’t a girl today, and he didn’t seem to like wearing makeup as a boy. Barry wasn’t entirely sure if that was part of being genderfluid, or if it was a purely Billy thing.

Iris was starting to look confused. "So Billy doesn't always wear makeup? Not everyone does."

“No, he doesn’t.” Maybe he should ask Billy about that, because they tended to look really pretty with makeup.

"He?" Iris  _ really _ looked confused now and Barry wondered if she was even listening to him.

"Yeah, he." Well, it had been “he” when Barry left the park at least. 

He wondered if Billy changed genders during the day, or if it was just in the morning when they woke up. That would be cool and a little confusing (for Billy at least). He should probably ask one day.

“Anyway, I have to do my homework before Joe gets home.” As much as Barry would have loved to talk more about Billy, he had homework to do.

“Right…” He heard Iris mutter as he turned to go to his room.

* * *

Billy found his next selected goddess in Pennsylvania of all places. Some reasonably small town that he hadn’t actually heard of before he started his hunt.

But it was where the last goddess he wanted for Darla’s powerset was.

He’d made good progress, and was down to the last few gods and goddesses he wanted for everyone. Only a few more to visit, and he’d have everything ready. If all went according to plan, then Darla would have her powers by the end of the week.

He felt a bit bad that he couldn’t give everyone their new powers all at once, but it simply wasn’t viable. Giving them to just one person was going to be a slow, careful process as it was. Billy wasn’t sure if he could do it with more than one person at a time.

He found her by the edge of the town, in the woods. He didn’t see anything that would attract a goddess to this place, but Billy had learned that the gods and goddesses operated on a strange level. This place may be sacred in some way he couldn’t understand.

Or she could have just liked the trees here, that was possible as well.

“Hail to thee, Lady Nike, Goddess of Victory.” He greeted, landing nearby to kneel in respect.

She turned to face him. "Champion of Magic, Guardian of the Rock of Eternity, and the leader of the Council of Eternity. To what do I owe this pleasure?"

“I have come to ask for your blessing.” He explained, rising to his feet to stand with his back straight. “I seek to create new Champions, companions that would stand besides me. It was my hope that you would lend your power to my youngest sister.”

She regarded him for a long moment, her eyes narrowed then smiled. "It has been a long time since anyone has asked for my aid. I sense many great battles in your future, and I am curious to see who will win. You may borrow some of my power but first I must test you. It's a formality really, but I must insist."

“Of course my lady.” Billy agreed, not the least bit surprised. Other gods had challenged Billy to prove his worth, so he had expected this. Although, the prospect of completing a test set by the goddess of victory was a bit of a scary thought. “What trial must I complete?”

"Hmm," she thought for a moment then smiled. "It is a simple task: you must achieve an emotional victory. You have many kinds of love in your heart, you must find and identify the most recent one. It will be difficult but you know of what I speak."

Billy blushed at the requirement he was given, but he couldn’t say he was  _ entirely _ surprised. He knew that he had feelings for Barry, ones that were hard to ignore no matter how much he tried to, but he had expected this from  _ Aphrodite _ .

But he’d been given a trial by a goddess, and no matter how embarrassing he thought it was, he had to at least try.

He wasn’t sure he could say he “loved” Barry. Sure, Barry was smart, and funny, and cute, and kind, and supportive, and really nice, and Billy absolutely loved how he laughed, but...

Okay, Barry was perfect, and Billy knew that full well.

“Do I have to say it?” He asked after a few moments, still blushing.

Nike shook her head. "Not all victories are shouted to the Heavens. The fact that you know the truth is the true victory." She handed him a wreath of laurel leaves that she pulled from the air. "Congratulations, Champion. Your sister has my blessings."

"Thank you," Billy bowed once more then took to the skies.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...Barry... love... you have to explain things in detail. Yeah, Iris doesn't know about the "genderfluid" bit, so now she thinks that Barry's dating a crossdresser or something.
> 
> Well, at least Billy's getting on the right track, so that's something.
> 
> Pat Pass For Hurt: Still not used.
> 
> Passionate Spanish, threats of kidnapping, and other such fun is welcomed down below.


	22. Powerups, Princesses, and Plans

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> She tied that power together, connected it all to a word of power. Unfortunately, Billy only knew one word that held enough power for this, and thus she was forced to use the name of the wizard.
> 
> “Okay, that should be it.” She said, rising to her feet. She felt a little drained, unsurprising given what she’d just done, but it soon passed. “Try powering up, so we can see it.”
> 
> "Shazam!" Darla shouted again and lightning struck.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bit late on this one (late in the day, Blue usually tries and get this up before lunch), sorry.
> 
> Rock of Eternity Link: (https://discord.gg/C6jSt8FS96)
> 
> Pat Pass For Hurt: Still not used. (yes, this lives up here now)

“Good news: I got Nike’s blessing.” Billy told the family later that day when they sat down in the living room after eating. Rosa and Victor had instituted a rule against non-vital superhero related talk at the table, so this was the first chance that Billy had to tell the others. “That’s the last one on Darla’s list, and there’s only a few left for the rest of you.”

"Yay!" Darla cheered. "So when can I get my powers?"

“Well, it’s a bit late right now. But I could do it tomorrow if you wanted.” Billy told her, smiling at her enthusiasm.

“Alright!” Billy had to laugh a bit at Darla’s enthusiasm, as she nearly bounced in place from the excitement of getting her powers.

The rest of the night passed quickly, with the topics of conversation turning to more mundane topics. School was currently out, apparently someone had broken something while doing maintenance over Christmas break, so Billy had more free time to hunt down the gods and goddesses.

The next day came quickly, and Billy soon got herself dressed and ready for the day.

“Good morning.” She greeted as she moved into the kitchen to help with breakfast. This was one habit that she was trying to break: watching the food be made. She trusted her family, and knew that they weren’t going to poison her, but she just felt safer watching it all be prepared.

She did try and take one day a week where she stayed out of the kitchen completely, if only to prove to herself that she didn’t need to watch. It didn’t always work, but she’d been assured that any progress was good progress.

Billy felt justified in her fear, considering that one of the families she’d been placed with had taken the phrase “Children should be seen, not heard” very seriously, and had laced the food of the other foster kids with sleeping pills to keep them docile.

That had been one of the harder places to escape, if only because it had been so hard to  _ think _ . She’d managed it, a school trip to Metropolis for a weekend had given her just enough time to detox enough to slip away when the class went back to Fawcett.

There’d been a rough few weeks after that, because she’d apparently gone into withdrawal. That damn family had gotten her  _ addicted _ to the sleeping pills. But she pulled through, and was with a much better family now.

She was just a little twitchy about food she didn’t  _ know _ was safe.

Rosa seemed to understand, even if Billy had never talked about it, and hadn't pushed for more information. Instead she taught Billy how to cook, and usually waited to cook until Billy was in there. 

The morning wasn’t too eventful, not until after breakfast when Billy was rounding up her notes for giving Darla her powers. The actual process would take some time, as Billy wanted to avoid giving Darla, and later the others, scars that matched her own.

It would be uncomfortable, Billy didn’t know a way to avoid that, but she was confident the Darla wouldn’t be screaming in pain like Billy did when  _ she _ got her powers. 

She was almost done when there was the sound of a door opening and Klarion walked out of the wall, gaining startled shrieks from Freddy and Eugene.

“You know, we  _ do _ have doors.” Once upon a time Billy probably would have joined in the screaming, but she’d grown too used to the fact that her life was really weird now. “You don’t have to make your own.”

"But where's the fun in that?" Klarion grinned. "I didn't come to see  _ you _ anyways. Where's the Princess?"

If Billy wasn’t entirely sure that Klarion’s intents with her sister were… about as close to innocent as Klarion ever got, she’d probably be worried about his interest in Darla. But she knew Klarion just liked Darla, in the same way one might like a cousin or a good friend. Klarion, as far as Billy could tell, simply found Darla fun and cute in her constant energy.

She wouldn’t hesitate to break Klarion in half if he ever hurt Darla, but she trusted that he’d never do such a thing.

She also trusted that if he  _ did _ do such a thing that Inza Nelson would get to him first.

"Darla," she called. "You have company."

A few seconds later Darla came flying down the stairs, a huge grin spreading across her face when she saw Klarion. "You came!" She cheered, giving him a big hug.

"Of course I did," He sniffed. Billy didn’t even bother pretending that she didn’t roll her eyes at Klarion’s faux attitude, "I still owe you a dress if I'm not mistaken."

Darla brightened even more and nodded. "Uh-huh," she agreed.

"It took a little bit but I finally finished it," Klarion produced a large box that was taller than him from behind his back and handed it to Darla, who quickly tore into it.

The wrapping paper, which was decorated with little Klarion heads, was quick to give way, but… Billy shot Klarion a look when Darla ripped a piece of paper the length of the entire box off, and it revealed  _ more _ paper in the exact same position.

“Klarion, let her get her dress.” The evidently infinite wrapping paper was amusing, Billy would gladly admit that, but they had things to do today, and couldn’t afford to see how long Darla would rip into it before Klarion finally let her get to the box.

"You're no fun," Klarion pouted but the box that was under the wrapping paper finally became visible.

Darla squealed loudly when the lid finally came off. The dress was  _ gorgeous _ . It was a deep purple and covered in layers of lace and glitter and even came with matching shoes.

"It's a magic dress," Klarion pretended to examine his nails, "It'll grow with you, so it will always fit you as will the shoes."

“Thank you!” Darla shouted, all but tackling Klarion in a hug. Which, after a great show of him rolling his eyes, Klarion returned.

“You’re welcome Princess,” He said, disentangling himself from grip by turning into what appeared to be seafoam and stepping out of the hug before reforming, “Why don’t you go and try it on, I’ll be here when you get back.”

"Okay," she ran back up the stairs, taking the outfit with her.

It was here that Klarion actually seemed to notice that people other than Darla were in the room, as he spun in a small circle to observe the room. Which he did without actually moving a muscle, he just rotated in place like he was some kind of display.

“Hello.” He greeted, casting an eye over the assembled ground before finally locking eyes with Freddy. And them, to Billy’s annoyance, down to Freddy’s leg. “Bet that hurt.”

"Klarion," Billy growled. No one got to pick on her brother, even Klarion who was shaping up to be a semi-useful, occasional ally.

“Just making idle conversation.” Klarion defended, holding his hands up in surrender. “I was going to ask if he wanted it fixed, that’s all. It’d take some effort, but it could probably be done if he was interested.”

"Of course I do," Freddy tried to stand up, but was forced to sit back down, having forgotten to grab his crutch in his shock at the offer.

“Healing magic isn’t really my thing, especially not the sort that’d fix that.” Klarion explained. “But I know a few people that could do it for you, if you were willing to ask them.”

“Really?” Billy butted back in, a bit dubious. She trusted Klarion, a little bit at least, but this seemed a bit too honest and helpful for him.

“I promise, the Court wouldn’t ask for anything too bad in return.” The name pinged something in Billy’s head, some leftover bit of Solomon’s Wisdom most likely.

“The  _ Fairy _ Court?” She checked. “You want Freddy to make a deal with the Fey?”

“They’d do it, easily.” Klarion quickly explained.

“Freddy,” She began, turning away from Klarion to face Freddy directly, “I won’t stop you from listening to Klarion. But if what Solomon’s Wisdom is telling is true, you’re more likely to come out worse than you are now if you try to deal with the Fey.”

“Worse?” He checked, looking somewhere between excited at the prospect of not needing the crutch and fear at her warning.

“How would you like to be mute for the rest of your life because you traded away your voice?” She asked, the example simply coming to mind in the way that she was coming to expect.

There was still no rhyme or reason to what Solomon’s Wisdom told her, but she was getting used to simply having a lot of information  _ there _ if she reached for it.

"No thank you," Freddy said quickly.

“Yeah, and that’s one of the  _ luckier _ ways that could end.” She told him, glad that he was listening to her. “But… I don’t  _ think _ we’d need the Fey if you wanted to get your leg fixed...”

It would be tricky, because no one she knew apparently bothered to learn healing magic beyond first aid, but if the Fey could do it then surely there was someone else out there that could.

“I’ll look into it.” She promised. “I saw a library at the Rock, and some of those books had information on all sorts of things.”

“Thanks.” Freddy looked a little overwhelmed at the offer, but he nodded at her and relaxed a bit more.

“Not that I’m upset that you’re here Klarion, but we have plans for the day. So we won’t have time to show off Darla’s new dress for long.” Billy apologized, turning back to the chaotic wizard.

"Plans?" Klarion cocked his head to one side. "What kind of plans?"

“You remember when you gave your blessing so that I could use it to make Darla a Champion like me?” Billy checked. “I finally have everything I need, and we’re going to the Rock to give Darla her new powers.”

Klarion brightened. "You're doing that today? Can I watch? I've never given a blessing before, plus the Rock needs some serious redecorating."

Billy blinked. "How did you get to the Rock? Even Doctor Nelson said he couldn't get there."

“...I’m  _ me.” _ Klarion said, like it explained anything.

Which, to be fair, it did.

"Can he?" Darla asked eagerly as she ran down the stairs in her new dress. "I'm using some of his chaos magic after all."

“Yeah, if he wants to.” Billy allowed. Having a second pair of eyes on the ritual would probably be helpful anyway. “As long as he knows that it’ll probably be  _ really _ boring for him.”

“I can handle a little boredom.” Klarion lied. Well, Billy assumed it was a lie at least, due to the fact that Klarion was… Klarion. She highly doubted his ability to handle being bored.

“Right.” She drawled, finally turning to look at Darla. Her sister looked great, Klarion had really outdone himself. She had worried for a moment when she had seen the lace and glitter, but apparently Klarion had some skill at fashion, because it actually looked really good on Darla. “You look good.”

"Thanks," Darla beamed as she gave a little twirl, revealing that she was wearing her new shoes too. "Can I wear this?"

“Might be best if you don’t.” Billy said. “I don’t doubt that Klarion made that thing tough, but I don’t want to risk ripping it or something when we power you up.”

Darla pouted but nodded. "It's okay, I can wear it when we get back."

“Okay, you go get changed while I find my notes.” Billy requested. She didn’t actually  _ need _ her notes… probably. The Wisdom of Solomon should tell her what to do, but the last time that she left the notebook out her siblings had added six names each to their lists of possible gods.

Which was just  _ rude _ . They could just  _ ask her! _

“Have you considered getting a Familiar?” Klarion suddenly spoke up as Darla went upstairs to take her dress off.

Billy blinked at the random question. She was used to Klarion skipping over things he considered trivial, like a logical lead into a topic of discussion, but it did tend to be a bit confusing.

“A what?” Eugene finally spoke up, having been silent since Klarion had arrived. Billy wasn’t sure, but she thought her brother was scared of the other teen. Not that she blamed him, she'd probably be scared of Klarion too if she wasn’t quite as used to his brand of weirdness and chaos as she was.

"You don't know what a Familiar is?" Klarion looked pained at the thought. "At least tell me  _ you _ know what it is," he begged Billy. 

"I do," she assured him and Klarion looked relieved. "It's a witch's pet, right?"

Klarion buried his face in his hands and let out a loud groan. "Imbeciles, I'm working with  _ imbeciles _ ."

“Hey.” Freddy objected. “We’re not  _ that _ bad. We’re still new to magic, alright? It’s not our fault if we don’t know every random thing.”

Klarion glared at him. "It's a very basic concept, one the old man should have explained in your first lesson."

“He’s been focusing on the more practical things, like teaching me how to  _ not _ accidentally kill someone with magic,” Billy explained, rolling her eyes at Klarion’s dramatic antics, “I’m sure he’ll get around to it.”

"This is unacceptable," Klarion ignored her. "As soon you get Darla’s powers set up I'll help you get a Familiar. It will prove invaluable to you like Teekl is for me." Klarion’s often absent familiar mewed from her perch on his shoulder.

Where the cat had not been a moment before.

Because of course Klarion’s cat was just as weird as him.

“And how would I even  _ get _ a Familiar?” Billy checked.

"I doubt they have a Familiar pet store," Pedro snorted, having caught some of the conversation as he came in from outside. 

Klarion sighed and shook his head. "Your education is seriously lacking. I'll explain everything when the time comes."

"Fine," Billy sighed, not wanting to argue as she would probably lose. "Darla, are you ready yet?" She called.

"Coming," Darla called as she came running back down the stairs. She had her regular clothes on again and eagerly ran to stand by Klarion. "I'm ready to go get my superpowers now."

* * *

The Rock of Eternity was just as bland as all the other times that Billy had been in it.

Klarion was right; this place needed some work. At the very least it needed some  _ color, _ because the dark, dusty stone color that everything at the Rock was just dull.

“Okay, let’s do this.” Billy began, picking up Shazam’s staff from where she’d left it the last time she was here. It had taken a fair bit to repair it, a few hours where she alternated between work, cursing, and wanting to break things, but at least the staff was back in one piece.

Billy moved back to Darla, kneeling before her as she spoke.

“Okay, this is probably going to hurt a little, but I’ll do my best.” Billy promised. Pain was, unfortunately, unavoidable in this situation. The scar could be avoided, but she was still pushing a  _ lot _ of power into Darla. It would be unpleasant, no matter what she did.

"Okay," Darla nodded. "I trust you."

“Okay, just relax. Hold onto the staff, say the word, and I’ll handle the rest.” Now came the hard part: not totally fucking this up. Billy was… reasonably sure that she could do this, Solomon’s Wisdom was telling her that she could, but there was still a bit of doubt that Achilles courage seemed to be slow in handling.

Stupid inconsistent powers...

Darla reached out and grabbed the staff. "Shazam!" She shouted.

Billy had just long enough to brace herself in preparation before the bolt struck the top of the staff, coursing down to where her own hand held it just above Darla’s own. She pulled the Blessings up from where she’d stored them in the Rock, ready to slip them into the power that coursed through the wooden staff, where it then continued on into Darla.

“I grant you…” Billy began, focusing entirely on the ritual that she was performing. It was slower than when the old wizard had done it to her, the power carefully threaded into Darla, rather than forcefully shoved in. Each Blessing took minutes to gift, rather than seconds for the entirety.

“...Victory from Nike…” The first of the Blessings formed a foundation, a solid basis that would hold up the others. Nike’s Victory was solid, absolute. To Billy’s magical senses it felt as sure and true as the very stones that made up the Rock of Eternity. It moved with all the surety of an arrow, straight and true from the Rock, through Billy and the staff, and to Darla.

“...The Chaos of Klarion…” Another bolt, carrying the second of the Blessings. She hadn’t actually  _ asked _ Klarion for a Blessing, he’d volunteered it when he learned of her plans. The energy was chaotic, like its now former master, twisting around in on itself in a way that defied everything Billy knew of magic. But despite the erratic way it behaved, it didn’t hesitate to settle deep into Darla, forming a cackling wind that would encircle the rest of her power.

“...The Sight of Leto…” Leto was the Titaness of Things Unseen, and her Blessing reflected that. It felt barely present, nearly hidden even as Billy moved it towards the core of power that was forming within her sister. It moved slowly, carefully, and even though she was watching it, Billy still lost track of the power once or twice as it settled into Darla like an ever present shadow.

"...The Grace of Hebe…" Hebe was the Goddess of Youth and Forgiveness, and Billy certainly felt that. She felt strongly youthful, carefree even and the hatred she had for her mother died momentarily before it left her and moved into Darla with all the eagerness and impatience of a child. It dove into the chaotic winds of Klarion’s power, dancing along with them.

“...The Fires of Pele…” This power was of fire and volcanoes, of burning lava and scorching heat. It moved with all the speed of an out of control wildfire, burning a spot in Darla’s soul for itself. As it settled it transformed into a more comforting heat, an ancient power that spread out like veins of magma, and it rose to a peak like the very volcanoes that it was born of.

“...The Sunlight of Amaterasu…” The warm ball of energy moved as fast as its namesake, a beacon of light that hung itself high above the rest of the Blessings. The light was bright, yet calming. The chaos of Klarion’s power slowed a bit but was still erratic. Leto's shadow remained but the other ones, the dark, twisted shadow-scars in Darla’s soul shrieked before disappearing. It brought a sense of calm and Darla had a serene look on her face as Billy moved into the final stage of her work.

She tied that power together, connected it all to a word of power. Unfortunately, Billy only knew one word that held enough power for this, and thus she was forced to use the name of the wizard.

“Okay, that should be it.” She said, rising to her feet. She felt a little drained, unsurprising given what she’d just done, but it soon passed. “Try powering up, so we can see it.”

"Shazam!" Darla shouted again and lightning struck.

Darla was now her adult self and still wore the purple costume but she now had a crown of golden laurel leaves, which looked just like the one that Nike had gifted, resting on her head. Her cape had also changed. It was patterned now, looking like purple fire that flowed down Darla’s back.

“Well, that seems to have worked.” Billy commented, looking Darla over. She could feel the differences between her powers and Darla’s, and the last bit of worry finally left as she realized that she’d actually  _ done it _ .

“Of course, we’ll need to do some tests.” Klarion called from where he was looking at the semicircle of thrones. “Figure out what your powers actually  _ are _ , but that shouldn’t be too hard.”

"Nothing dangerous," Billy insisted. "At least not at first."

“Of course not. And besides, we have more pressing matters to attend to before any tests, dangerous or otherwise.” Klarion said, moving to stand a bit closer. “Such as: shall we do those tests  _ now, _ or do you want your Familiar?”

Billy hesitated. Both sounded very tempting of course. Learn what Darla could do, or get something that Klarion seemed to think would be helpful.

Seeing her sister's indecision Darla spoke up. "Since you just got through helping me why don't you do something you want? We can test my powers later."

“If you’re sure?” Billy checked, not wanting to just leave Darla just so she could run off with Klarion. Especially not after Darla had just gotten her powers.

Darla nodded. "I'm sure," she promised. "And I promise not to let Freddy help me test my powers. I'll wait until you get back or Doctor Nelson comes over."

“...yeah, don’t let Freddy help you test your powers. He set me on fire the first time I took him to one of my lessons with Doctor Nelson.” Okay, Billy was fireproof when powered up, but she did not appreciate being set on fire without her consent.

She dreaded what Freddy would do to test his own powers when he got them...

“Great, let’s get a move on then!” Klarion cheered.

And now she dreaded whatever Klarion was planning, because he looked  _ far _ too happy for her comfort.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always: threats to kidnap, passionate Spanish, random suggestions and questions, all of it is welcome down in the comments.


	23. Klarion's Cat-astrophy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Now then, I’ll come tomorrow for the next part of your lesson.” Klarion told Billy, before planting his hand on Billy’s chest. She had just enough time to realize what he was doing before, against all her expectations, Klarion shoved Billy out into the air.
> 
> She tried to call out, to speak the word that would call the bolt and her powers to her, but her voice seemed to be stolen, as she couldn’t hear a single word pass her lips. Flight seemed to be beyond her, despite the fact that she should technically be capable of it while powered down, and she couldn’t think of any spell that she knew that would save her.
> 
> And so, with nothing else to do, Billy closed her eyes and waited for the pain that would come from hitting the ground. But, instead of hitting the solid concrete so far below, she felt herself land on something soft.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rock of Eternity Discord Link (https://discord.gg/C6jSt8FS96)
> 
> Pat Pass For Hurt: Still not used.
> 
> More Klarion Chaotic Goodness Ahead!

Billy and Klarion stood atop some random skyscraper, supposedly for “privacy”. Billy suspected that Klarion just liked the aesthetic.

“Alright then, your Familiar.” Klarion looked  _ far _ too happy for this to be entirely innocent. “There are a few ways to go about getting one.”

"How about the  _ safest _ way?" Billy suggested.

“Safest is relative.” Klarion shrugged. “When you power up you’re strong enough to handle some serious threats, so you can afford to try something a bit harder. Would it be better if I simply listed my preferred methods? That way you could choose what you think sounds best.”

"Okay," Billy agreed. "List away."

“You could find a magical creature, and bind it into service. Not unlike how I met Teekl” Klarion suggested. “Of course, Familiar compatible creatures tend to be rather rare, assuming you’re unwilling to take in a dragon or the like.”

"No," Billy said automatically. "I can't bring a dragon home - Mom would kill me."

“Bummer. Well, one of the other popular ways is to summon one from another plane or realm.” Klarion continued. “Spirits, minor demons, Fey, there’s a wide variety of choice. Bit risky, but I know how to do the summoning properly.”

Billy didn't look very convinced. "How about a tiger?" She suggested. "That's my favorite animal."

“Well, there’s a few cat creatures out there, I’m sure you could find a half decent tiger if you wanted.” He agreed, clearly thinking it over. “I could find you one if you’d like, and I’ll even teach you a useful spell.”

"Uh-huh," Billy crossed her arms. "And what do you get in return? You're only this helpful with Darla, not the rest of us."

Klarion paused for a moment, before slowly speaking. “...I occasionally remember what I see coming. Not often, and never much of it, but I do remember bits and pieces sometimes.”

"And? I'm still waiting for an explanation."

“I saw you lot fighting Teth-Adam. What I can remember didn’t inspire much confidence.” Klarion admitted. “I’d rather have you win than risk Teth-Adam coming for my head. So I thought that I’d pass on a few tricks, see if that didn’t turn the tide a bit more in your favor.”

Billy frowned. "I don't like it when you get scared," she admitted. "It freaks me out."

“I wasn’t alive when Teth-Adam was last free, but I know the stories. There’s a  _ reason _ that John Constantine dropped off the face of the Earth when we all realized a new Champion had been chosen.” Klarion stressed. “There’s a  _ reason _ that Nabu visited you to personally deliver a warning. There is a  _ reason _ that the entire magical community is currently preparing like it’s the end of days. One of the strongest wizards to ever walk the world is returning within a year. So yes, I’m a little scared.”

"And now I'm terrified," Billy sighed.

“You’ll have the others by then, and I do remember enough to know that you  _ did _ have a plan that you seemed pretty confident in.” Billy was reassured. “I’d just rather stack the deck a bit more in my favor. Now, do you want to learn how to turn into an animal, or do you want to keep talking about Teth-Adam?”

"I should ask about Teth-Adam, but I'd rather put that off," she admitted. "Help me get a familiar or teach me something fun. We can talk about serious stuff later."

“Transformation magic  _ is _ fun.” Klarion told her. “For example…” And here Klarion snapped his fingers, and Billy watched as his entire body seemed to change. It was subtle at first, but before long Billy was looking at a very different Klarion. A Klarion that looked remarkably like a girl. “...I can change quite a lot about myself. What do you think?”

Billy's eyes lit up. "I want to do that," she gasped. "Teach me that."

“Sorry, it’s a bit tricky. Transformation magic can be hard when turning into things that “aren’t you”. Changing into an animal can be easy, depending on which one it is, but changing your physical, human form? A few complications there.” Klarion paused for a moment in his explanation, looking at Billy for a moment in consideration. “On second thought, you may have a good time with this spell. You  _ are _ female sometimes… Either way, there are foundations to build before you get to this.”

"I understand," Billy nodded. "I don't want to accidentally hurt myself."

“Now then, I mentioned turning into an animal?” Klarion asked, his female form twisting back into his regular male one without any sign of effort. “Would you like to learn that at least?”

"Why not?" She shrugged. "Might come in handy later."

“There are two ways to learn this.” Klarion began. “The easy way that would take you weeks of practice to see any results at all. Or the quick way, that would have you in a new form by the sunrise. Which one would you like to try first?”

Wisdom said to take the long, safer way but the impatience of a teenager kicked in first. "The quick way," she decided.

“Right then.” Klarion nodded, moving up to Billy. “I’ll need you powered down for this, it’s one of the things that will actually be easier to learn without all the extra power of the Champion.”

“Shazam.” It was surprising that, despite the fact that she was getting struck by  _ lightning _ , Billy actually didn’t feel any pain. The familiar sensation of her scar flaring up, but that didn’t actually hurt. “Now what?”

“Come over here, stand by the edge.” Billy frowned, a little worried, but she trusted that Klarion wouldn’t actually try and kill her. So she followed the other teen, coming to stand on the very edge of the skyscraper.

“Now then, I’ll come tomorrow for the next part of your lesson.” Klarion told Billy, before planting his hand on Billy’s chest. She had just enough time to realize what he was doing before, against all her expectations, Klarion shoved Billy out into the air.

She tried to call out, to speak the word that would call the bolt and her powers to her, but her voice seemed to be stolen, as she couldn’t hear a single word pass her lips. Flight seemed to be beyond her, despite the fact that she should technically be capable of it while powered down, and she couldn’t think of any spell that she knew that would save her.

And so, with nothing else to do, Billy closed her eyes and waited for the pain that would come from hitting the ground. But, instead of hitting the solid concrete so far below, she felt herself land on something soft.

Opening her eyes, Billy immediately noticed three things.

One: She wasn’t dead on a sidewalk. That was nice.

Two: She was back in her room, having apparently been teleported by Klarion.

And three, and possibly most importantly: the room looked way bigger than it usually was.

When Billy tried to stand up, in order to investigate why the entire room looked so much larger, she found herself falling flat on her face. It took another three attempts, and three more faceplants, before Billy managed to pull herself up on her hands and knees.

Trying to turn to face herself, to figure out what the hell Klarion had done to her when he apparently teleported her home, caused her to overbalance and fall over. Again. Luckily she fell in such a way that at least allowed her to look back at her body. Which looked remarkably different than the last time she had looked at it.

She was smaller than before, that much was obvious from the size of the room in comparison to her, and her body had been drastically changed. She was covered in orange fur, with white covering her belly and chest. She could see bits of what looked like black stripes on her back.

When she went to stand again, in the hopes that she could actually remain upright for any length of time, she finally noticed why she was having such trouble with it: she apparently had four legs now, not the two that she was used to having.

Billy felt a rush of annoyance as she realized that Klarion had turned her into a goddamn  _ cat! _ A tiger by the looks of it, and not even a grown tiger either. He’d turned her into what looked like a  _ baby tiger! _

Thankfully her door wasn't locked so it was easy for her to nose it open after she made her way to it. Which took a while, seeing as she first fell off the bed, and then had to learn how to actually  _ walk _ .

It was a slow, painful process, that was broken up by Billy alternating between falling on her face and cursing Klarion.

It was actually kind of impressive that no one had heard her yet. Kitten or no, she was pretty sure her swearing was making noise.

Once she finally found a rhythm it was easy to escape her room. The hallway was also empty and so she made her way to the stairs. Hopefully her parents were still here and not gone out like they had discussed doing earlier. Maybe she would get lucky and they would recognize her...maybe. God she hoped Victor didn't have an interest in hunting. 

The stairs proved to be… painful. She managed to get down the first step, but tripped over her own own feet… paws… whatever, she tripped and rolled down the rest of the way. Luckily, nothing felt actually  _ broken _ , but Billy was quite sore now.

"Is anyone hurt?" Rosa came rushing into the room, her eyes wide as she frantically looked for one of her children. She caught sight of Billy and let out a surprised sound.

Billy didn't care and simply ran towards Rosa, knowing that her mother couldn't do anything but still wanting someone else to take control of this situation. 

_ "Mom," _ she tried to say but all that came was a weird mixture of kitten cries and growls. 

Rosa stood very still for a moment then knelt and picked her up under her shoulders. "Aren't you a cute thing? How did you even get in here?"

_ “Klarion’s an ass!” _ She explained, wriggling slightly at being held like she was. It didn’t hurt, but it was a bit demeaning to be picked up under her armpits like a child. Or a kitten, in this case.

Rosa chuckled. "I'm sorry but I don't speak kitten or tiger or whatever you are. You're going to love my youngest, Darla. She loves animals."

Billy’s eyes widened and she shook her head as best she could. Darla was the last person she wanted to see right now. She liked Darla just fine, but she was under no impressions that she’d suffer far worse humiliation under Darla than what Rosa was unintentionally subjecting her to.

She was  _ not _ going to be combed and dressed up!

"Are you shaking your head at me?" Rosa asked in amusement. "It's strange though, your eyes look like my daughter's, Billy. I thought all tigers had green eyes, not blue ones."

Billy tried to speak again.  _ "It's me, Mom, Billy." _ It came out as more kitten cries so she settled for nodding.

Rosa frowned and walked over to a nearby picture of Billy and Mary, taken the day Billy had first come down dressed as a girl. It had been after breakfast and Mary had begged until Billy finally gave in. "Your eyes are  _ identical, _ " she looked at the picture carefully.

_ “Yes! It’s me!” _ She probably should have put more thought into this, because she’d totally forgotten to think of how she was going to tell anyone that she wasn’t some random cat.

Thankfully Billy's salvation arrived in the form of Darla who popped her head into the room. "Mom, can I have a- Billy!" She fully ran into the room and straight to her sister and mother. "Why are you a cat?" She asked.

_ “...how do you do that?” _ Darla had known that it was Billy that first night she got powered up as well, even before Billy had presented any evidence. And Darla wasn’t powered up right now to get whatever power Leto was giving her, so how the hell did she know that Billy was a cat?!

"Darla?" Rosa turned to her youngest. "What makes you think it's Billy?"

Darla shrugged. "I just  _ know _ things, Mom. You know that."

_ “...can you understand me?” _ Billy tried. Animal speak wasn’t one of Darla’s powers, Billy was pretty sure of that at least, but it was worth a try.

"I don't know what you're saying," Darla apologized. 

Damn.

_ “Oh well, at least this is temporary.”  _ Billy muttered. Klarion had said he’d come back tomorrow, so at most she’d have to deal with being a cat for a few hours. Well, if she was stuck like this, she may as well get comfortable.  _ “Can you please put me down?”  _ She asked, wriggling about again.

"Do you want down?" Rosa looked concerned and sat Billy on the floor. Darla moved to grab her and Rosa grabbed her arm. "Darla, I know she looks like a cat but you know Billy doesn't like being touched very much. Treat the way you would when she's human."

_ “Thank you.” _ Billy muttered, looking up at the two. She’d been a cat for less than an hour, and she had already found the first thing she disliked about it: being so small. It was quite annoying having to look up at literally  _ everything _ .

"Okay," Darla didn't sound very enthused but she didn't try to pick Billy up.

"I...need to call Victor and let him know what's going on." Rosa said, turning to find the phone, and leaving Billy alone with Darla.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so the next chapter does not cover Billy's time as a cat. We relegated to that to a side story, which we've not yet written (sorry). It'll turn up eventually, I promise.
> 
> So... yeah. Magic can change your physical gender. Hopefully that answers some of the questions we've been getting.


	24. Familiar Forms

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Freddy had just sat down at the table when there was a knock at the door. He grumbled but got back up seeing as Pedro and Eugene didn't look like they were going to get up. He opened it to see Klarion standing there. The teenaged sorcerer looked tired, which was a first.
> 
> "You knocked," Freddy said in surprise. 
> 
> “I have had a very long night,” Was Klarion’s response, “So I decided to preserve what little energy I have left and use a mundane method of arrival.”
> 
> “I’m pretty sure teleporting to our front door isn’t “mundane”.” Freddy told him, stepping aside.
> 
> “It’s not,” Klarion agreed as he moved inside, “That’s why I took the bus.”
> 
> Freddy blinked. "You got on a bus? Is it still in one piece?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rock of Eternity Discord Link (https://discord.gg/C6jSt8FS96)
> 
> Pat Pass For Hurt: Still not used.

The morning after Billy had apparently been turned into a cat, which Freddy had largely missed due to spending the day preparing for a long overdue camping trip. Apparently it had been the plan to do it before the new year, but things got in the way.

Like Billy’s new job as a superhero. That had required some reshuffling of plans, but they were finally getting things sorted for it. There were a lot of things to talk about of course, like the sleeping arrangements, but they had bought all the supplies that they expected they would need, as well as replacing one of the tents that had been in wearing a bit thin.

Freddy had just sat down at the table when there was a knock at the door. He grumbled but got back up seeing as Pedro and Eugene didn't look like they were going to get up. He opened it to see Klarion standing there. The teenaged sorcerer looked tired, which was a first.

"You knocked," Freddy said in surprise. 

“I have had a very long night,” Was Klarion’s response, “So I decided to preserve what little energy I have left and use a mundane method of arrival.”

“I’m pretty sure teleporting to our front door isn’t “mundane”.” Freddy told him, stepping aside.

“It’s not,” Klarion agreed as he moved inside, “That’s why I took the bus.”

Freddy blinked. "You got on a  _ bus? _ Is it still in one piece?"

“Yes.” Klarion rolled his eyes. Freddy couldn’t actually see his eyes, now that Klarion was ahead of him, but he could  _ hear _ the eye roll.

"That's good at least. Man, is Billy going to be glad to see you. I don't think he likes being a tiger."

“I doubt that… he? Huh, it was “she” yesterday… Well, either way, I doubt that they’ll be very happy to see me.” Klarion explained. “But I admire your belief in your sibling’s ability to forgive.”

"Forgive what?" Freddy watched as Klarion stood awkwardly to the side as he sat back down at the table. "And you can sit, I don't think Mom would mind."

Klarion shook his head. "Mom did her best to instill a  _ few _ manners in me, and that means no sitting at the breakfast table unless invited. Otherwise you're liable to get scolded."

“Whatever. And why would Billy need to forgive you?” Freddy pressed.

"Yeah, why?" Eugene asked, and even Pedro looked up.

“Oh, I’m the one that turned her into a tiger kitten.” The wizard explained, not looking the least bit remorseful as he said it.

"Why am I not surprised?" Freddy sighed. "We don't know a whole lot of people who can do that."

"You did what?"

Freddy froze and looked up to see his Dad standing there, his voice frosty. Mary stood behind him, also scowling.

“I turned Billy into a cat.” Klarion repeated. “And now I’m here to turn them back.”

Victor crossed his arms. "I'm calling Doctor Nelson when this is over with and asking him to tell Inza."

“Oh come on!” For the first time since he’d arrived Klarion actually looked like he regretted his actions. “There’s no reason to involve her!”

"You turned my daughter into a  _ kitten _ ," Victor reminded him.

“In my defense, she  _ literally _ asked for it.” Klarion tried, looking a little desperate to get the blame taken off of him.

"I don't care. You're lucky Rosa didn't call animal control and have her taken away. If Darla hadn't recognized her then that is what would have happened. I don't care if she asked for it, we didn't get asked or told. Keep that in mind for the future." 

“Sure,” Klarion shrugged, still looking a bit worried about the scolding that was in his future, “Easily done.”

"Somehow I doubt you really mean that, but thank you anyways," Victor said before he and Mary sat down as well.

“...Billy would have been fine if you had called animal control. I had Teekl watching the house.” Klarion quietly admitted, moving to lean against a wall with his arms crossed.

"Klarion," Rosa chose that moment to enter the room. "Sit down and have breakfast with us. If Billy and Darla come down you can see if you can change him back before we eat otherwise you can try it afterwards. Have you eaten yet?"

“No, I’ve not eaten yet Misses Vasquez.” Klarion politely replied, moving to take his own seat. “And that’d be nice, thank you.”

"Not a problem," she smiled warmly as she moved to start on breakfast.

"Mom," Mary cut in. "He's the one that turned Billy into a tiger."

"What?" Mom asked, turning around, her voice tight and angry. 

“Why does that always sound really bad when someone else says it?” Klarion wondered aloud. “Seriously, it’s not  _ that bad _ . They only had to spend a few hours as a cat, I sent them home, and I even had Teekl watching the house in case of emergencies.”

That was when the magical cat in question walked out of the wall, across the air, and onto Klarion’s shoulders.

“See?” He continued, pointing to the cat. “Billy was perfectly safe.”

Rosa didn't look very convinced. "I'm calling Inza, Doctor Nelson gave me her number. But I will wait until after you eat. I don't believe in punishing children on an empty stomach."

“I think we’ll just have to take them with us next time,” Freddy heard Klarion mutter to Teekl, scratching the familiar’s ears for a moment before he raised his voice to ask: “Where is the kitten anyway? And the princess?”

"Upstairs in Darla’s room," Mary answered. "They spent most of the day and night up there."

"That sounds like fun," Klarion grinned. "But I am curious, how did you know they changed genders? I’m nearly certain that Billy was female when we spoke yesterday."

"I called him "she" and got hissed at," Eugene sighed.

“Fair enough.” Klarion shrugged. “Would you like me to fetch the two so they can come and eat?”

Before the others could answer the sound of singing came from the stairs and Darla appeared, cradling Billy in her arms. "Klarion," she squealed upon seeing him.

Klarion opened his mouth but Billy snarled and leapt down from Darla’s arms. He ran straight at Klarion, snarling as he leapt at the wizard. Klarion was quicker, however, and Billy landed stomach first squarely on Klarion’s outstretched hand.

“If you scratch or bite me, I’ll leave you like that until someone gets Kent down here to fix you.” Klarion threatened, adjusting his grip on Billy to use both hands.

Instead Billy opened his mouth and let out a long string of growls and cries that even Freddy could tell was an angry rant.

“Sorry, I don’t speak cat.” Klarion said, looking a little smug.

"Just get on with it," Pedro cut in. "I want to eat."

“Sorry, can’t.” Klarion told them, never looking away from the angry tiger in his grip. “It takes a while for the new form to settle, and I reckon Billy has another hour or two before I can completely turn him back.”

This brought on a new series of growls and cries which Freddy suspected was just Billy cursing Klarion out.

“Sorry kitten, can you repeat that?” Klarion taunted, smiling at the cat.

Another round of cat noises started up, and Freddy was quickly growing sick of the sound, but luckily it was short lived, as the sound of an angry kitten was replaced by the sound of an angry Billy.

Which was marginally better.

“-you bastard, I'm going to scratch your fucking eyes-" 

"Language!" Victor scolded.

Billy stopped, his eyes wide. "I can talk! Yes, I got my voice back!"

"Mommy, what do those words mean?" Darla's eyes were wide with false innocence.

As if she hadn’t used worse herself when Billy powered up the two of them to patrol.

“Oh dear,” Klarion chipped in, sounding mockingly disappointed, “You’ve said bad words around innocent children. How  _ could _ you?”

"I hate you," Billy growled. "The second I have my body back I'm going to kick you in the balls. Then we'll see who swears more."

“I think the naughty kitten needs a timeout. What do you think, Princess?” Klarion asked, looking over at Darla.

She nodded. "Just a small one though."

"Excuse me?" Victor turned to look at them. "What do you mean by that?"

“Nothing bad, I promise.” Klarion reassured them, sounding surprisingly genuine. For him at least. “I was just going to give him to Teekl for a little while.”

"And what is Teekl going to do?" Victor didn't sound any happier.

“Judging by the state of him? Either force him to stand in a corner, or give him a bath.” Klarion admitted.

"As long as they're done by breakfast," Victor shrugged. "But I will be keeping an eye on them."

“Dad!” Billy cried out, trying to twist around to look at Victor. Freddy had to laugh as Klarion simply held the kitten to the cat on his shoulder, who gladly took him by the scruff of his neck and then jumped down to the floor.

"I won't let you get hurt," Victor promised, his voice gentle. "You know that, Billy. Besides, you should've told someone about this beforehand. It's either this or you can get a lecture when you're human again."

“Don’t worry, Teekl’s more than capable of dealing with unruly kittens without hurting them.” Klarion promised as his familiar walked over to a corner of the kitchen to sit down.

The cat dropped Billy, who immediately tried to escape. Unfortunately for him, Teekl was faster, and quickly captured Billy again, dragging him back to the spot that the larger cat had selected for him.

Freddy watched with some fascination as this cycle repeated another three times before Klarion spoke again.

“You’re not going to get away, so you may as well accept your punishment.” He advised, looking like he was enjoying the show as much as Freddy was.

“Fuck you!” Was Billy’s reply.

"Language," Victor chided again. "If you want Klarion to help then stop antagonizing him. Besides, from my understanding, this is a new form right?" When Billy nodded, still trying to struggle away from the larger cat, he continued. "So, shouldn't you stop fighting it? If you want it to settle then accepting it might be a good idea so it gets done quicker."

“Doesn’t quite work like that,” Klarion explained, “But that is good advice.”

The conversation at the table turned to more mundane things as the food arrived, with only Billy’s occasional shout as he was bathed by Teekl’s tongue to break up the casual atmosphere.

After a quick consultation to make sure human food wouldn't harm Billy while he was a tiger Rosa made him and Teekl eat on the floor, using a pair of bowls that Klarion conjured up, so cat hair didn't get all over her table.

Billy objected to eating on the floor, but was overruled when Klarion explained that it would be at least another hour before he could be turned back. Since neither parent was willing to let him go hungry for that long, Billy ate on the floor.

The water that was given next, again over Billy’s objections, proved to be another source of entertainment. Watching Teekl stand next to Billy, dragging him back anytime he tried to leave, was actually quite funny.

Apparently Klarion’s cat was quite the mother hen, as they refused to let Billy leave until he’d drunk enough of the water to satisfy the familiar.

Freddy knew that there’d probably be a bit of good natured ribbing about this in the future, after Billy had calmed down from it. They were family, so of course they could have a laugh about funny things that happened to each other. As long as they knew when to stop, which wasn’t always the case, and weren’t being dicks about it, it was usually fine.

At least, that was the rule that Victor and Rosa had about teasing: as long as everyone’s having fun, it was fine.

By the time breakfast was over, the dishes had been cleaned, and the group had relocated to the living room for a more easier talking than over the table, Klarion finally said that it was time to change Billy back.

They gathered in the living room, Klarion and Billy sitting in the center of the room on the floor.

"This is going to hurt a little," Klarion warned. "Your bones and muscles will be reforming so expect some pain. After you do it a few more times though it'll go away."

"Okay," Billy seemed serious, now that it was time for the main event. 

"I'm going to need you to focus. Deep down you should be able to find your human self. It'll be like a tiny seed but it should be easy to find. Once you do I want you to concentrate on it. Picture it growing and overwhelming the tiger."

Freddy watched as Billy closed his eyes and began concentrating...

...Only to let out a surprised squeak as Klarion reached out and poked a single finger against Billy’s nose.

Freddy's eyes widened and his jaw dropped as Billy began to change. His brother yelped as his bones began to shift and the fur disappeared only to be replaced by skin. A few seconds later Billy lay on the floor, wearing the clothes he had had on the day before.

When they were a girl.

When Billy had been wearing a  _ skirt _ .

"I so need to change," Billy groaned into the floor. "But man am I glad that I'm me again."

"You're welcome," Klarion inspected his nails.

"Oh yeah," Billy stood up. "I never got to thank you for turning me into a tiger without telling me!"

“Consider it a lesson in magical bargains,” Klarion suggested, “A lot of creatures won’t offer explanations unless you ask for them.”

Billy glowered as he started walking away. "I'm going to change then you can tell me whether or not you found me a familiar."

“...I put him on the path to feeling comfortable in his own skin, and this is the thanks I get!” Klarion complained after Billy left.

"Be grateful he  _ didn't  _ kick you in the balls," Freddy said. "I would have."

“Well, when I teach  _ you _ how to rearrange your entire physical self so that you can change your species, height, or even physical gender, I’ll make sure to do it from a distance.” Klarion snarked.

"Next time you will inform one of us," Victor added. "We attend Billy's lessons with Doctor Nelson after all."

“What the old man let’s you do isn’t my concern. But I’ll send a note next time, alright?” Klarion tried.

Victor looked at him for a long moment then sighed. "That's the best we're going to get from you, isn't it?"

“Unless you’re actually going to call Inza about this? Yes, yes it is.” Klarion confirmed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always: threats to kidnap, passionate Spanish, random suggestions and questions, all of it is welcome down in the comments.


	25. Tiger Troubles

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For a long moment nothing happened then the very air seemed to waver and a large, gigantic tiger appeared.
> 
> Klarion had said it was big, but the damn thing was looking down at Billy. It seemed to fill up the temple, leaving no room for Billy to go nowhere but back the way he came.
> 
> And here he thought he was finally done having to look up at things now that he wasn’t a kitten anymore.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rock of Eternity Discord Link (https://discord.gg/C6jSt8FS96)
> 
> Pat Pass For Hurt: Still not used.

By the time Billy returned, wearing something far more “boyish” in appearance, Rosa had shepherded the others out of the room.

“Finally.” Klarion said, throwing his head back in what Victor could tell was mock impatience. “I thought I was going to die from boredom here.”

“I was two minutes.” Billy replied, rolling his eyes at his friend. And they were friends, as far as Victor could tell. Klarion would probably deny it, he seemed like the sort that considered himself too cool for friends, or some such nonsense, but Victor could see the clear fondness that the teen wizard held for at least some of the family.

"It was the longest two minutes of my life," Klarion groaned dramatically. “Now, can we get a move on? I’d like to get to bed soon.”

“It’s not even lunch time.” Victor pointed out, raising an eyebrow.

“Because unlike Billy, who got to spend his night relaxing at home, I’ve been looking for a suitable Familiar, so I’ve not slept much.”

"Poor baby," Billy said sarcastically. "So did you find me one?"

“More or less.” Klarion shrugged.

"More or less?" Victor repeated. "What does that mean?"

“I found a viable cat spirit. Well, cat _ like _ .” Klarion explained, looking annoyed. “But they’re being difficult.”

"Joy," Billy sighed. "What's the problem?"

“It’s nothing serious,” Klarion promised, “You just need to apologize to them.”

Billy blinked. "What the hell did I do?"

“Nothing, it’s… okay, the spirit in question is an old one. And unfortunately for us, he has a long memory.” Klarion paused for a moment, before continuing. “He would like an official apology for the wrongdoings of the previous Champion. I’m not entirely clear on the details, something about being buried alive for a hundred years.”

Billy let out a long groan. "So I have to apologize for something that the asshole before me did?"

“You have three options.” Klarion explained. "Suck it up and give a sincere apology for something that’s not your fault, find another way to show them that you deserve their services, or find another creature.” 

Billy sighed. "I don't really want to wait for another spirit," he admitted. "I'm not even sure how to prove my worthiness so I guess I've got to apologize. If I ever meet this Teth-Adam I'm going to slug him."

“What do you mean  _ if? _ He’s going to come and try to murder you by the end of the year.” Klarion said.

"We know," Victor sighed. "Unfortunately we know."

“Before we leave to handle the spirit, there is something else.” Klarion told them.

"What?" Victor asked uneasily.

“While I was out last night looking for a suitable Familiar, I happened to bump into John Constantine.” Klarion looked mildly uneasy as he said that. “Who made noises about coming this way.”

"And who is that?" Billy wanted to know. 

“A friend… sort of.” Klarion shrugged. “Constantine tends to do his own thing for the most part. He’s a detective, specializes in the occult and the magical. He’s pretty good at it too. Rumor was that the wizard turned him down for your job actually.”

"He isn't going to try and take it, is he?" Billy asked worriedly.

“John’s not the sort that likes attention. The cape, the lightning bolts, the big superheroic fights? Not really his thing.” They were promised. “He’s been silent since you were chosen. Guess he finally decided that it was safe enough to poke his head out of whatever hole he’s been hiding in. He’s probably just going to come over, insult you a bit, and be on his way.”

"So, he's not...evil?" Victor clarified.

“No. A little morally dubious by most standards, but far from evil.” Klarion told them. “Just make sure to keep an eye on him while he’s here, and don’t take him to the Rock.”

"I wasn't planning on it," Billy said. "ThIs is why I want a Familiar, so they can help watch the house when we're out."

“Good idea. Constantine wouldn’t do anything  _ bad _ , per say. At most he’d set up a few monitoring charms when you weren’t looking, so he could keep an eye on things.” Klarion looked a bit annoyed as he spoke. “He’s not evil, he’s just an ass that doesn’t always respect people’s privacy and boundaries.”

"I don't suppose you or Doctor Nelson could help set up something that could prevent that?" Victor asked.

“Not today. I’d need some stuff from home, and I’m currently trying to keep a low profile.” He shrugged.

"I'm not surprised," Billy said dryly. "Could the spirit help me with that?"

“With my problem? No, I just need to wait for Superman to get bored of looking for me. With yours? Probably.” They were told.

“Why is Superman looking for you?” Victor demanded, absently wondering how this was his life now. How did he go from adopting kids to asking why a teenager was actively avoiding  _ Superman? _

“Well, I was passing through Metropolis, when I found out that the boy scout has a cousin.” Klarion began. “Apparently he takes her out for “on the job training” or something on the weekends, I don’t know.”

“What did you do?” Victor pressed.

“Apparently the big guy is  _ really _ protective of his cousin.”

“Klarion. What did you do?”

“Okay, so I hit on her, alright?” Klarion admitted.

“What, did you say she was pretty?” Billy asked, looking quite interested.

“Eh, she was alright I guess, not really my type.” The teenaged wizard shrugged. “And all I said was that I liked how her outfit showed off her body.”

Billy burst out laughing while Victor sighed. "Klarion," he reprimanded. "Saying stuff like that isn't a good idea, especially in front of  _ Superman. _ "

“She didn’t seem too upset about it. But I suppose you’re right.” Klarion admitted. “Point is, I can’t go home right now, because Superman might stop by to ask Kent or Inza about where I am. And they’d probably tell him.”

"I certainly would," Victor agreed. 

“And you don’t have a way to call Superman, so I think I’m safe here.” The smug looking wizard retorted.

"Can we go see the spirit now?" Billy interrupted. "We could be here all day talking about your bad ideas."

“Hey, hitting on an attractive blonde that’s as strong as you are when you’re powered up was a  _ great _ idea.” Klarion insisted. Victor just shook his head at the teen.

"No, it really wasn't," Billy sighed. 

“Anyway, want to go and possibly be mauled by a gigantic tiger spirit?!”

* * *

“So all I have to do is say sorry?” Billy checked. He was currently powered up, and standing in some random forest somewhere that Klarion had led him to.

“Something like that, yeah.” The Witchboy in question confirmed from about ten feet behind him. “He may ask for a bit more, maybe a bit of groveling, but you should be fine. Probably.”

“Why are you all the way back there?” Billy demanded, turning to look at where Klarion was standing.

“I may have offended the spirit the last time I was here.” He was told.

“What, did you hit on  _ his _ cousin too?”

“No, it was far more mundane than that.” Klarion denied. “I just forgot to bow before I left. Some spirits are sticklers for tradition.”

"I hate you," Billy glared at him. "Just show me where he is so I can apologize for what happened to him and we can get this over with."

“What, you got somewhere to be?” The annoying sorcerer questioned.

"I've still got to track down Artemis for Mary," Billy reminded him. "And then I've got to power her up and finish finding the other gods."

“Artemis is in Canada last I heard.” Klarion offered. “Hunting some… I think it was some Hell Hounds.”

"Cool, thanks."

“Fair warning, you may want to wait a few days before you go talk to her. She has a…  _ thing _ about guys.” Billy was warned.

Billy nodded. "I'll wait until I'm a girl again," he promised. 

“And knowing what I do of Artemis, it may be best if I teach you a bit more transformation magic as well.” Klarion considered. “She has this habit of turning people she finds annoying into things for her wolves to hunt down. Probably a good idea to tell you how to get out of that situation if you upset her.”

“Anything else?” Billy checked.

“Hope that she’s more interested in how cute you look as a kitten than how good you’d look mounted on her mantle?” Klarion tried. “Artemis is dangerous at the best of times. Just don’t offend her, and run really fast if you do. I’d suggest going for someone else first. Aphrodite, maybe. She tends to be rather mellow if you don’t interrupt her dates.”

"Yeah," Billy agreed. "Maybe I will. I don't want to get eaten."

"Neither do I," Klarion admitted. "I've put a lot of time into training you and I'd hate for that to go to waste."

"Gee, thanks."

“No problem. Now come on, we’re nearly there.”

The walk was, unsurprisingly, not very interesting. Few birds to listen to, some nice flowers, but it was rather boring overall.

"Here we are," Klarion announced a few minutes into their walk.

They were in front of an old temple. It was crumbling and grown over but there was a clear spot at the front, large enough for someone (or something) to sit.

“Okay, you go talk to the angry tiger spirit, and I’ll be back here hoping it forgets I exist.” Klarion called from behind Billy. “Good luck Champ!”

Billy shot the wizard a scathing look, getting a cheery thumbs up in return, but approached the stairs. "Hello," he called. "I come in peace."

For a long moment nothing happened then the very air seemed to waver and a large,  _ gigantic _ tiger appeared.

Klarion had said it was big, but the damn thing was looking  _ down _ at Billy. It seemed to fill up the temple, leaving no room for Billy to go nowhere but back the way he came.

And here he thought he was finally done having to look up at things now that he wasn’t a kitten anymore.

"H-hi," his voice shook slightly and he bowed, albeit somewhat clumsily. "I'm sorry to bother you but Klarion said I needed to apologize for what Teth-Adam did-”

Billy had barely spoken the name before the tiger let out a roar that was nearly deafening in how loud it was. Over the faint ringing in his ears he could hear the birds flying away in fright.

Apparently the tiger didn’t like to be reminded of Teth-Adam.

“W-what he did to you when he was the Champion." Billy hesitatingly continued. When no noise came from the gigantic cat, and Billy was getting rather sick of looking  _ up _ at cats today, he decided that he may as well try and keep going.

"I wanted to say that I'm sorry for what happened to you. I wasn't alive then but I truly am sorry. Is there any way I can make it up to you so that you would consider being my Familiar?"

The tiger considered him for a moment, silently judging him, before giving one decisive nod at whatever conclusion it reached.

Billy felt it before he saw it: a working of magic that caused the gigantic tiger to shrink down on itself. Within seconds Billy was looking  _ down _ at what seemed to be an orange cat with black stripes.

Well, that was easy.

* * *

“Don’t expect him to be around all the time.” Klarion told him later. They were still in the forest, but were now sitting down on the steps of the temple. “He’s chosen to work with you, but he’s not bound to you in any limiting way, not unless you make such a binding yourself. He’ll come and go as he wishes.”

"Like Teekl?" Billy asked, looking at where the two catlike creatures in question were playing together on the grass.

"Exactly," Klarion grinned. "Don’t worry too much about that though, Familiars like ours tend to show up when they’re needed.”

"That's good. That way I don't have to worry about Mom and Dad as much since they don't have powers," Billy sighed in relief.

“And don’t worry about feeding him either,” Klarion continued, “He’s partially sustained by your magic, and he can hunt down his own food well enough if he wants to. Beyond that? Well, you saw Teekl eat this morning, and it wasn’t anything special. He’s a spirit, no matter how much he looks like a cat, he can stomach most regular foods.”

"Cool. So he can walk out of walls and stuff like Teekl does?"

“Probably not. Teekl’s not a spirit, and yours certainly doesn’t have the right bit of chaos that Teekl does. He’ll get around somehow, don’t worry, but I’m not sure how.”

Billy nodded. "As long as we don't have to get up and let him in in the middle of the night, we're good."

“That may come up anyway, if he’s too tired to be clever about how he gets in, but unless your house is  _ very _ well protected, a welcomed Familiar will usually find a way inside.” Klarion explained.

"Thanks for helping me, Klarion. I really appreciate it."

"Not a problem," the witch boy assured him. "Not a problem at all."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> John Constantine does not turn up in this fic, but he's in the sequel. Which, as you can see by the chapter count, isn't that far off.
> 
> As always: threats to kidnap, passionate Spanish, random suggestions and questions, all of it is welcome down in the comments.


	26. Crowds, Meetups, and Messages

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jason shrugged. "Bruce is being an ass so I decided to ditch him for a day or two. I'll go back eventually."
> 
> “And how many days ago was that?” Billy checked, raising an eyebrow. He would honestly be amazed if it was actually only one or two days.
> 
> “I don’t know, three or four.” The redhead shrugged, clearly not caring.
> 
> Billy sighed. "You should probably call him. I imagine he's worried."
> 
> “Don’t need to call him, he’s tracking my phone.” Jason told him, looking far too okay with being actively tracked by his foster dad.
> 
> "Of course he is," Billy muttered, pinching the bridge of his nose.
> 
> “Of course, my phone is currently in Bludhaven.” Billy’s most troublesome friend continued, nearly grinning as he spoke. “So maybe I should call him.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> New character at the end of this chapter, woo! They're not going to be amazingly relevant until the sequel, which is nearly here, so look out for that.
> 
> Rock of Eternity Discord Link: Rock of Eternity Discord Link (https://discord.gg/C6jSt8FS96)
> 
> Pat Pass For Hurt: Still not used.
> 
> Also, this is a twofer today. You get chapters 26 and 27.

With Darla finally powered up permanently, and some tests done to figure out her powers, Billy had a little bit more free time, now that he wasn’t hunting quite so many gods.

Oh sure, he still had to track down a fair few, but with Darla done he finally felt like he had made real progress with it.

And with this little bit of free time, Billy had decided to duck over to Central for a few hours and visit Barry. Apparently there was a small marathon of the Back To The Future trilogy playing, and Barry had invited him to come watch. And, with nothing to do in between god hunts and school, which had finally reopened, Billy had agreed to spending a Saturday at the cinema with his friend.

When he called Barry to let him know he was coming Barry sheepishly admitted that he had already invited Eddie’s cousin since apparently they hadn’t seen the movies. Billy had no objections so the three of them had agreed to meet at the movie theater after Billy powered up some backup for Darla and flew over. 

Fully powered or not, Billy was not letting his little sister go out on her own.

So it wasn’t long before Billy was slipping through a large crowd outside the cinema that Barry had selected. It made him a bit twitchy, which was  _ annoying _ , but Billy managed to get to a quieter spot to wait for the other two to turn up.

The twitchiness in crowds was new, and had been the subject to a big talk with Rosa and Victor when it had first come up while the family was out shopping one day. It wasn’t  _ all _ crowds that set Billy on edge, it was just when he was alone in large crowds.

It had been Victor that had posited the theory that Billy currently subscribed to: repressed trauma. Now that Billy had stopped filling his entire life up with determination to find his birth mother, there was finally room for other things in his life.

Like a fear that he was being abandoned again if he was in a crowd of people without someone he knew at his side. Which was ridiculous, he was a  _ superhero! _ He was nearly indestructible, he could fly, he had so many powers that would let him get out of any situation and get back home, and they were all a single word away from being used.

And yet he still couldn’t stop his heart from racing when he had moved through crowds if he was alone.

Rosa and Victor wanted him to see a therapist, a  _ good _ one that they knew and had met a few times before. Not theirs of course, but one that worked in the same office. 

Billy had promised to think about it.

He just didn't say how long he was going to think about it. Maybe in a few months when he was finally able to initiate a hug. Of course if he still couldn't do that then he wouldn't have a choice but to go. It was stupid and completely unfounded, but he was still waiting for them to realize that he was too broken to fix. 

“You’re a long way from home Shocker.” Billy was brought out of his thoughts by the voice that was at his side. Turning to see who had snuck up on him while he was lost in his own mind, he was greeted with red hair and a mildly dangerous looking smile.

“So are you Jason.” Billy automatically pointed out, surprised to see his friend in Central.

Jason shrugged. "Bruce is being an ass so I decided to ditch him for a day or two. I'll go back eventually."

“And how many days ago was that?” Billy checked, raising an eyebrow. He would honestly be amazed if it was actually only one or two days.

“I don’t know, three or four.” The redhead shrugged, clearly not caring.

Billy sighed. "You should probably call him. I imagine he's worried."

“Don’t need to call him, he’s tracking my phone.” Jason told him, looking far too okay with being actively tracked by his foster dad.

"Of course he is," Billy muttered, pinching the bridge of his nose.

“Of course, my phone is currently in Bludhaven.” Billy’s most troublesome friend continued, nearly grinning as he spoke. “So maybe I should call him.”

"Billy, Jason?"

Both boys looked up, startled to see Kara standing there, her hair a little windblown. Which Billy thought was a good look on her.

"Kara?" Billy blinked. "What are you doing here?" He wasn't complaining though, she was awesome to look at and to talk too. A plus for him. 

"To see the movies of course," she straightened her hair with her fingers. Her chest bounced a little as she did so, and Billy had to fight off a blush. "Clark is whining about his 'girlfriend' again so I decided to get away."

“Oh, did he finally get together with Lane?” Billy asked, remembering some of their previous conversations. He’d heard a lot about Lois Lane, and was honestly surprised that she’d never come over to Fawcett to interview him. He’d bumped into a few reporters from the Daily Planet before, but none had ever asked for an actual interview with Captain Marvel.

Kara groaned. "I wish," she grumbled. "He hasn't which is why he's complaining and why  _ I _ left."

“Dude needs to get laid.” Jason blandly contributed. “Preferably by Lane.”

"Tell me about it," Kara rolled her eyes. "So is Barry coming too?" She asked Billy. 

“And his cousin.” Billy confirmed. “Apparently they’ve never seen the movies.”

"Hey, everybody." A sudden voice called out, catching the trio’s attention.

They all turned to see Barry coming towards them, a taller redheaded boy tagging along behind him. His red hair was a similar shade to Jason’s, and his bright blue eyes seemed to nearly shine. His build reminded Billy of professional runners, lean and built for speed.

“Hi Barry.” Billy returned, smiling at the sight of the friend he was actually here to see. Not that he wasn’t happy to have his other two friends here, but he  _ had _ only planned to meet Barry and his cousin.

"Wow, what are all of you doing here?" He asked. 

"Getting away from annoying relatives," Jason stated in that blunt way that Jason seemed to love. It was one of the things the entire group could agree on about Jason: he didn’t care for bullshit, and just cut straight to the point.

"Completely understandable," Barry sighed. "Joe is being...difficult right now."

"Isn't he always?" Billy snarked. He didn't have the highest opinion of Joe after listening to Barry’s rants about the man. Billy had no doubt that the man wanted what was best for Barry, it just sounded like he could be a bit difficult to handle sometimes.

Barry giggled, his face lighting up. Billy felt his heart melt a little, Barry was so...cute when he smiled. Maybe he should talk to Mary or his parents when he got back home, see if they could help him.

No, not “maybe”, he’d been saying “maybe” about this for ages now, he really needed to get some help with this. He promised himself that, unless Mary was busy, he’d talk to her when he got home.

“Okay, before we go in, we should probably do introductions?” Barry checked, and Billy felt himself nodding before he actually realized what Barry was saying.

“Right then,” Eddie’s cousin began, a hint of a strange accent in his voice, holding out a hand to shake, “It’s nice to meet Barry’s friends.”

“Same to you.” Billy returned, grabbing the other teen’s hand. “I’m Billy.”

“So, red, what did you say your name was?” Jason hypocritically asked.

"I didn't. Eddie said I needed to get someone else's names before giving them mine. How do I know you're not a stalker or identity thief?"

“...I  _ like _ you.” Jason’s grin was, in Billy’s opinion, a little scary as he took Billy’s place shaking the teen’s hand. “I’m Jason.”

“Kara Kent.” From where he was standing, Billy was treated to the sight of the redhead’s eyes widening in complete shock at the sound of Kara’s name.

"I-I know you," he practically squealed. "You're, you’re… no, wait, that was later. You’re  _ Supergirl _ and that-that means you're-”

Billy blinked, and the the redhead was  _ behind him _ , being pinned to the wall by Kara.

"How do you know that?" She growled, and Billy could see her eyes literally glowing red as she glared at her prisoner. "Who are you?"

“S-sorry, sorry. I’m just, I’m a huge fan!” The teen rambled, not seeming to care that he was probably about two seconds from being put  _ through _ the wall. “You’re Superman’s mom! I mean, the other Superman, the second one!”

“Okay, let’s try this again.” Jason chipped in, recovering from the shock that Kara was Superman’s  _ cousin _ .

How the hell had he missed that? She didn’t even wear a mask! And Billy felt like he should be able to recognize Kara, even in a superhero outfit.

“Either you tell us who you are, or I call the big guy down here to ask you himself.” Jason continued, leaning over Kara’s shoulder. “And don’t think I won’t.”

"You-you're the second  _ Robin _ . You're a founding member of the Titans! You're one of the most famous superheroes  _ ever _ ." The redhead continued to ramble. Billy was officially confused now.

Especially because the look that Jason gave when he heard the statement suggested that the teen was  _ right _ .

Billy was kind of scared to draw attention to himself, because he really didn’t want to know what the teen would say about  _ him _ .

He was also glad that they were in a quiet corner of the cinema, because somehow they’d managed to avoid anyone noticing four teenagers looking like they were trying to mug some guy.

"This is so cool! I can't believe I actually got to meet you guys!"

“Your  _ name _ .” Jason tried again, looking like he was about to reach over and start helping Kara in holding the guy to the wall. “Or your teeth. It’s your choice.”

"Oh right," he blinked, seeming to realize that he’d not actually explained  _ anything _ . "I'm Eobard Thawne and I'm from the future."

There was stunned silence for a moment then Barry spoke. "What the actual fuck?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Those that watched the Flash TV show may remember Eobard Thawne as "The Reverse Flash". In the comics he's occasionally called "Professor Zoom". Basically: he's the evil Flash in canon. And here he's a time travelling fanboy living with Eddie.
> 
> As always: threats to kidnap, passionate Spanish, random suggestions and questions, all of it is welcome down in the comments.


	27. Needed Advice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Oh… you’ve got it bad.” Mary said, seeming to come to a realization. She reached out to pull Billy into a one armed hug, holding him against her side. “It’s going to be okay, I promise.”
> 
> "Are you sure?" Billy asked plaintively. 
> 
> “Yeah, it’s a bit unusual, but it’s nothing bad.” Mary promised, squeezing his shoulder. “One of my friends is dating two people at once, if that’s what you wanted to do.”
> 
> "I could do that?" Billy looked up at her. "And I wouldn't get in trouble?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, you're reading that summery correctly: Billy is actually getting advice for their feelings.
> 
> Also, as a reminder: this is part two of this upload, so make sure to go back and read 26 if you missed it.
> 
> Rock of Eternity Discord Link: Rock of Eternity Discord Link (https://discord.gg/C6jSt8FS96)
> 
> Pat Pass For Hurt: Still not used.

By the time Billy staggered through the back door of his home, he was in an… odd state of mind.

For a start: time travel. That was apparently a thing now.

Eddie’s cousin, who may or may not actually be related to him at all, was apparently a time travelling fanboy that got stuck in the past. Eobard seemed nice enough, even if they kept shooting Billy weird looks after realizing who he was.

But, far more importantly: Billy had spent the entire trilogy sitting between Barry and Kara. He was so glad that it was dark in the cinema, because he was sure that he’d spent at least half of it in a state of mild panic as his emotions ran wild.

It had been beyond awesome but he was so glad to be home. He made a beeline through the kitchen, ignoring Rosa and heading straight to the kitchen table. He pulled out a chair, sat down, and then let his forehead hit the table in front of him.

“Have a good time?” Rosa asked, not looking up from where she was finishing up on dinner. Billy felt a brief need to check the food, but it was drowned out by everything that was going on his head. Besides, he’d left for the day so that Rosa could cook in peace.

He was trying, he really was, but sometimes it was just easier to leave for a few hours so that he wasn’t around to get tempted.

He groaned, loudly and dramatically. He then lifted his head and proceeded to bang it on the table a few times.

“That’s either a no, or a resounding yes.” He heard Rosa continue. “Either way, please stop that, you’ll hurt yourself.”

Billy simply groaned again, but stopped hitting his head against the table and tried to start thinking.

“Where’s Mary?” He eventually asked, tilting his head to look at Rosa. He briefly thought of asking her, and he knew that she’d happily help him, but he had promised himself that he’d ask Mary about it, and he was trying to be more honest with himself.

And besides, with Rosa becoming “Mom” a little more each day, he was discovering something that teenagers had been discovering for centuries: the desire to not talk to his parents about his feelings. It would just be really awkward. Billy figured it was better to talk to Mary, actually figure out his emotions a little, and then talk to Rosa and Victor about it when he knew how to put it all into words.

"In her room," Rosa answered, turning to give Billy her full attention. "Is everything okay?"

"I don't know," he admitted. It hurt a bit to admit that, but another thing he was trying to do was allow himself to be weak around his family.

He had a lot of things he was trying to do these days, in an effort to undo some of the damage he’d done to himself over the years. Being more honest, letting himself be weak, actually talking to people about his feelings, and felt like a hundred other things. It was overwhelming sometimes, but he knew that it was all for the best.

He was broken, probably beyond complete repair, but he could fix a few things at least.

Rosa frowned and walked over to him. She wrapped her arms around him for a long moment. "Everything will get better," she promised, pressing a kiss to his forehead. "Talk to Mary, and if you still don't feel better talk to Victor or I, okay?"

"Okay," Billy muttered. Once she let go he got up and made his way into the living room. He ignored everyone trying to talk to him and went straight to the hallway to Mary’s door. He knocked on it and waited until she answered before pushing it open. "Can we talk?" He asked.

"Of course," Mary sat aside her schoolbook and waited until he was sitting on the bed next to her. "What's wrong?"

Billy hesitated for a moment then finally said, "I...I think I have a crush on Barry. And maybe on Kara as well."

“...huh.” Was Mary’s delayed response. “So what’s the problem? You can’t decide which one you like more?”

"I like them the same," Billy said sheepishly. 

“Okay, so what’s the problem?” Mary asked again. “That you like two people, or that one of them's a boy?”

"So liking two people  _ isn't  _ a bad thing?"

“It’s a crush,” Mary shrugged, “When I was your age I had lots of crushes at the same time. You’re a teenager, it happens.”

Billy groaned. "I spent the whole marathon thinking about her boobs and Barry’s ass. And I can’t stop thinking about how pretty they are, or how much fun I have with them. And I feel all funny whenever we’re together. And-and-"

“Oh… you’ve got it  _ bad _ .” Mary said, seeming to come to a realization. She reached out to pull Billy into a one armed hug, holding him against her side. “It’s going to be okay, I promise.”

"Are you sure?" Billy asked plaintively. 

“Yeah, it’s a bit unusual, but it’s nothing bad.” Mary promised, squeezing his shoulder. “One of my friends is dating two people at once, if that’s what you wanted to do.”

"I could do that?" Billy looked up at her. "And I wouldn't get in trouble?"

“Well, you’d have to talk to them both about it.” Mary began. “Otherwise you’re cheating on them, and that’s just going to get everyone hurt and upset. But we’d all support you.”

"I just...I don't want to ruin our friendship or to get kicked out," Billy mumbled. "I mean, I know I wouldn't get kicked out, but I'm still worried."

"And that's completely understandable given your history," Mary said gently. "If you're worried I can go with you when you talk to Mom and Dad for you."

“...can you, please?” Billy should do it himself, he  _ knew _ that he should do it himself, but it was just so much easier if Mary got the… well, not the hard part, because there was surely going to be a very difficult conversation anyway. But Mary could make it at least a  _ little  _ easier for Billy.

"Of course. You have to tell Kara and Barry yourself,” She warned, “but I'll help with Mom and Dad."

"Okay," Billy sighed. "We can tell them."

* * *

“Mom? Dad?" 

They had waited until dinner was over before cornering their parents as they were headed to their bedroom to get ready for bed.

"Yes, Mary?" Rosa's brow furrowed when she saw the worried look on Billy's face. "What's wrong?"

"It's nothing bad," Mary assured them. "Billy just wants to talk to you about something."

"What is it, son?" Victor still looked worried.

After a long pause Mary realized that he wasn't going to answer, so Mary did it for him. "Billy likes Barry and Kara. A lot. He's worried that he's going to get in trouble for that."

"Of course not, baby," Rosa engulfed Billy in a hug. "There's nothing wrong with liking two people. Why Victor and I used to have an open relationship and see other people. Sometimes we'd even slept together," she winked.

"Too much, Mom," Mary sighed as Billy looked about as disgusted at the thought as Mary felt.

She really didn’t need to know about her parents’ sex lives. Ever. Under any circumstances.

Thankfully Victor spoke next. "It can be scary, liking more than one person. But if you want to date both of them we have no objections. I can't say the same for their parents, but as I said before, we're very open-minded or at least we try to be."

"We won't kick you out," Rosa released him and smiled warmly. "You're our child and we love you dearly. Nothing will ever change that, I promise."

“T-thanks.” Billy stuttered, looking a little overwhelmed. She didn’t blame him, it had been a lot for her to take in when she first came here as well. And while Billy had been part of the family for a while now, sometimes it took a long time for that to really sink in.

But Rosa and Victor had helped her, even when she’d been as confused as Billy was now, and she came out better for it.

“Well, there’s a few things we’ll have to talk about,” Victor told Billy, “About treating your partners properly, and how to manage a relationship like you seem to want. But we can do that later if you want.”

"Later," Billy begged, his face red. "Much later please."

“If you start a relationship with both of them, or even one of them, we  _ will _ talk about this.” Victor warned. “But it can wait until you actually talk to  _ them _ about this.”

Billy nodded. "Thank you," he said.

“And you  _ do _ plan on telling them soon, right?” Rosa pressed, the barest hint of a warning in her voice.

"Yes, ma'am," Billy nodded. "Barry invited us to go to the Particle Accelerator in two weeks when they activate it. I'm going to tell them then."

“Will you?” Victor asked. “I made six plans like that before asking out Rosa, so I want you to  _ promise _ me that you’ll tell them.”

"I promise," Billy said. "I'll tell them in two weeks."

“If you don’t, I will.” Victor lightly threatened. “This is clearly important to you, so it’s best not to drag it out longer than necessary.”

"Thanks," Billy hesitated then quickly wrapped his arms around Victor, giving him a squeeze before pulling back. "Good night," he said then took off, no doubt heading to his room.

“...we’re doing good by him.” Rosa commented after a brief pause, and when Mary turned to look at her, distracted as she was by Billy’s retreat, she could see a proud smile on both of her parents’ faces.

* * *

Another Sunday, another night that Clark let Kara out to get some experience as a superhero. He hated her staying up late on school nights, so the weekends were the only time that she could do this.

Clark himself wasn’t with her, he’d been pulling back a little over time, giving her a little more independence so that she could prove herself. He was still keeping tabs on her, she had no doubt that he could be here within seconds if she called for him, but it was nice not to have her cousin breathing down her neck.

“Fancy some company?” A voice called from above and behind her. Turning, because she knew that it wasn’t Clark’s voice, she was greeted with a sight that she really should have expected.

“Captain.” Billy smiled as she, and Billy was very clearly female, landed on the rooftop besides Kara. “That sounds nice.”

“Thanks.” Billy replied, sitting down so that her feet dangled over the edge and looking up at her. “How are you doing?”

"Excellent," she smiled at her friend as she sat down. Billy was normally cute, but powered up like this she was beautiful, and it was nice to see her again. "I'm surprised to see you here. Is everything okay?"

“Yeah, it’s good. Been doing a lot of thinking in the last two days…” Billy trailed off, and Kara knew what she was thinking of. “I don’t blame you for not telling me. I understand why you didn’t, but I am sorry that you didn’t get the chance to tell me how you wanted to.”

"It's okay," Kara sighed. "You didn't get to reveal your powers the way you wanted to either, so I guess we're even."

“...Did you tell Superman?” Billy eventually asked, looking a little worried. “About what happened? I mean, he hasn’t turned up in Fawcett again to talk about it. But then, I don’t really know him, so...”

"No," Kara shook her head. "He'd never let me out again if he knew. Besides that would mean outing you and Jason, and I won't do that. I mean, I'm sure he knows who Jason is, but he doesn't know who you are."

“Thanks.” Billy smiled. “For not telling. I don’t know what I’d do if I couldn’t see you anymore.”

Kara told herself she wasn't blushing even as her face grew warm. "Same here," she agreed. "Besides, I'm sixteen. One of these days Clark is going to have to realize I'm not a child anymore."

“...did you just tell me Superman’s name?” Billy asked, open shock on her face.

"I guess," Kara shrugged. "It's not that hard to figure out, just like we can all guess that Bruce Wayne is probably Batman considering Jason is Robin."

“Bruce Wayne is Batman?” Billy repeated, before blinking as she thought it over. “That… actually makes a lot of sense. And that reminds me; we need to talk about the  _ other _ thing that we all learned at the cinema.”

"I don't know why I'm so surprised," Kara confessed. "If people from other worlds can exist then why can't time travel? I mean, there is that one superhero that claims to be from the future. Maybe he's not lying?"

“Well, if he’s not lying, that means that one day you’re going to have a kid that grows up to be Superman.” Billy said, referencing one of the things that Kara had  _ really _ been trying not to think about. She was sixteen, she didn’t need to be thinking about hypothetical future kids!

"I know," she groaned. "That's another reason not to tell Clark. I'll never be allowed to go on another date then."

“...do you want to date someone?” Billy asked, blushing a bit as she did so.

Kara hesitated. One of the people she was interested in was sitting right next to her, was looking straight at her in fact, so she had to be careful what she said. "There might be one or two people that I'm interested in."

“Yeah, I’ve been thinking about it a bit myself.” Billy admitted, turning back to look over the city. “There’s a couple of people that I think I’d like to-to date. Sorry, I’ve never really talked about this sort of thing before, It’s… a little hard to actually say it sometimes.”

"It is," Kara grinned, trying not to hope that one of those people might be her. "It's a good thing we have each other to talk to."

“Yeah, it is.” Billy agreed. After a few moment’s of comfortable silence, Billy spoke again, “So, are we going to sit here all night, or do you want to go find some criminals to beat up?”

"I thought you'd never ask," Kara stood up. "I want to get in a little action before I have to go home."

“Okay then. How about a little bet?” Billy asked, not bothering to stand up and instead just falling into the open air to fly back up to roof level. “We go out for ice cream later, and whoever stops the least crooks has to pay?”

"I'll take that," Kara said smugly. She was going to make Billy buy her the most expensive ice cream they had.

“Well, in that case, you better catch up.” And with that Billy took off like a bullet, speeding further into Metropolis in search of crime.

"Cheater," Kara called as she too took off.

Two bowls. She was making Billy buy her  _ two  _ bowls of the most expensive ice cream they had.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The takeoff of this ship (and the end of this story) approaches. And we're still holding onto the Pat Pass, which is probably getting a bit worrying by now.
> 
> Also, to address this: Mary means well. She's not dismissing Billy when they come to her, it just took her a moment to understand why this is a "big deal".
> 
> On a related note: Victor can see that this is hard for Billy, so he's (lightly) threatening/offering to do this FOR Billy if need be. It's meant to be a nice thing, but I'm not sure if we did it right.
> 
> As always: threats to kidnap, passionate Spanish, random suggestions and questions, all of it is welcome down in the comments.


	28. Confessions and Explosions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And so began the hardest day of Billy’s young life.
> 
> Which was a bit weird considering everything that he’d done in the last few months. Telling two people about his feelings probably shouldn’t have felt like it would be harder to do than fighting the Seven Sins, and yet Billy found himself hoping that they’d inexplicably escape and attack something really far away just so he could get out of this conversation.
> 
> But, if that happened, then Victor would tell them instead and somehow that was even worse than telling them himself.
> 
> So he took a deep breath and ordered himself to calm down as he neared his destination. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is it: the ship starts here!
> 
> This is also the beginning of the end of this fic, as you can tell by the numbering. Don't worry, we've already written some of the next fic, so that'll be coming soon.
> 
> Rock of Eternity Link, for more Billy Batson Fics: (https://discord.gg/C6jSt8FS96)
> 
> Pat Pass For Hurt: ...yeah, this is it. The thing we're using it for will carry over into the next few chapters, but this is where we're calling it in.

Two weeks. It had been two weeks since he promised his parents to reveal his feelings to Kara and Barry and tonight was the big night. Billy would be lying if he said he wasn't nervous. His stomach felt like it was tied in knots, his palms were clammy and he was sweating.

Why had he agreed to this?

“Calm down.” Pedro told him from his spot on the couch. While the family would watch the Particle Accelerator activate on TV, Billy would be going to see it in person.

With Barry and Kara. Who he would then tell that he had feelings for, and hope that they didn’t reject him.

“Yeah, right, calm down.” Billy muttered. “I mean, I’m only going to tell two people that I’ve spent most of the last two weeks thinking about them.”

"Working yourself up isn't going to help," Freddy added. "You look like you're going to be sick."

“Maybe I shouldn’t go,” Billy tried, “I mean, you guys need more practice anyway. We could do some more training.”

He had  _ finally _ gotten all of his siblings powered up, despite the efforts of a few of the more elusive gods, and now all that was left was learning how to use their powers. Which, in some cases, was easier said than done, but they were managing it.

"No," Mary said firmly. "You're going and that's final."

“Dad threatened to call their parents if you don’t leave in the next few minutes.” Darla cheerfully contributed.

“Okay, okay! I’m going!” Billy said, giving up. “...anyone have any advice?”

"Don't puke," Eugene suggested, not looking up from his laptop. Billy thought he was talking to other nerds about the Particle Accelerator, but he honestly didn’t care enough to check. He liked Eugene, but Billy really wasn’t interested in the science of this event, it was just the backdrop to one of the most difficult talks of his life.

He sighed then reluctantly left, waving goodbye to everyone. Once outside he powered up and set off for Central.

This was going to  _ suck _ . Even if all went well, and they both returned Billy’s feelings, the part where he actually had to tell them was going to suck.

He prayed that in five years he could look back and laugh at himself for being so nervous.

Actually, considering that he was apparently fighting an evil super wizard before the end of the year, he prayed that in five years he could look back at all.

And now Billy was making himself even  _ more _ stressed out. Great.

Billy arrived in Central nearly too soon for his liking. He had hoped for more time to mentally prepare himself, but he was already passing by the city limits.

It was only a few seconds later that he saw the alleyway that he usually used and landed. After powering down he slipped onto the main street and headed towards Star Labs.

And so began the hardest day of Billy’s young life.

Which was a bit weird considering everything that he’d done in the last few months. Telling two people about his feelings probably shouldn’t have felt like it would be harder to do than fighting the Seven Sins, and yet Billy found himself hoping that they’d inexplicably escape and attack something really far away just so he could get out of this conversation.

But, if that happened, then  _ Victor _ would tell them instead and somehow that was even worse than telling them himself.

So he took a deep breath and ordered himself to calm down as he neared his destination. 

Unfortunately his bravery failed him the second he saw them. Kara and Barry were waiting for him just outside the abandoned apartment that Barry had told them to come to. Barry wore a dress shirt and jeans while Kara had on a dress that accentuated her chest.

He swallowed hard and waved at them. 

Fuck, this was going to be hard…

“Hey guys.” He greeted, his heart pounding so loud that he was surprised that Kara couldn’t hear it. They looked great, better than normal even. Which was a problem, because they  _ normally  _ looked fantastic, and now they looked even better than that. Billy found it hard to stay focused on their faces, and not let his eyes trail down to the rest of their bodies, where he knew he’d find a good deal of toned muscle on each of them.

Mary was right, he had it  _ bad _ .

"Hey, Billy," Kara smiled and his knees felt a little wobbly.

"Yo," Barry was practically bouncing up and down in excitement. “I got the chairs and everything set up on the roof already, and Joe even let me borrow his cooler, so we have some drinks.”

"Cool," Billy returned the grin. "I can't wait to see the Accelerator or whatever it is get turned on."

Kara giggled. "You don't care, do you?"

"Not at all," Billy said cheerfully. "I came to have fun with my friends, and if you guys think this is fun then we'll do it."

“Aw, thanks.” Barry said, looking genuinely touched. “Now come on, the stairs are a bit iffy, so watch your step.”

"I can fly," Kara reminded him as they began climbing the stairs. "And I'm pretty sure Billy probably knows a levitation spell or two."

“Yeah, yeah, all my friends are superheroes besides me.” Barry playfully snarked, following up after her.

“Actually, I think Jason’s technically a vigilante, not a superhero.” Kara threw over her shoulder, making Billy nearly trip as he caught sight of her smile.

"You'll be one too someday," Billy assured him. "That's what Klarion said."

“Klarion also said that one day I’d have my hair dyed to be a rainbow.” Barry pointed out. “I couldn’t tell if that was a prediction or a threat.”

"I'd go with a threat," Kara said. "I've met him before and he would totally do that to you."

“Wait, I heard about that!” Billy said, remembering something that Klarion had mentioned a few weeks before. “Something about Superman not liking him complementing your outfit?”

Kara sighed. "He hit on me and Superman overreacted. Like I couldn't have punched him if I didn't like it."

“What did he say?” Barry asked, sounding interested.

Kara rolled her eyes. "He asked if I was wearing anything under my 'skimpy' outfit. My cousin got mad and that was the end of it."

Billy would have replied, but his mind had stopped when Kara had repeated Klarion’s question. He found his mind going back to the last time he’d seen Kara in her full outfit, and trying to decide if there was anything under it.

He shook his head to banish the thoughts, trying to focus on what was happening here and now. He had more important things to think about than if Kara wore a bra while she was Supergirl.

“So uh, so you didn’t mind him asking that?” He finally asked as they came to the highest floor of the building, utterly failing to focus on literally anything else.

Kara shrugged, stepping aside so Barry could move in front of her to lead them to the door. "Not really. I just had to act scandalized for my cousin's sake. But that doesn't mean I'll answer it."

"Oh," Billy tried not to sound disappointed. Out of the corner of his eye he could see Barry’s shoulders slumped and he wondered if they were both disappointed about whether or not Kara wore a bra when she was fighting crime.

“Anyway, we’re here.” Barry said in a rush, putting his shoulder to a large metallic door. It took a bit of effort, but he managed to push it open with a terrible grinding noise. “From here we can see the show, and not have to pay for it!”

"Cool," Billy winced at the thought of his nearly empty wallet. He got a weekly allowance but had spent most of it buying Darla candy after she spent her own. 

Not to mention that the ice cream parlour that he and Kara had gone to was a very nice one, and Kara had made him order two bowls of their most expensive sundaes. So he was a bit short on cash at the moment, and he was quite happy to not be paying for anything else.

The trio made casual small talk while they got themselves properly set up. Topics ranged from Eobard’s predictions of the future, to how cool it was that they all knew Batman’s secret identity, to Billy finally getting his siblings powered up.

Billy, all the while, tried to find a natural way to lead into what he had to say, but to no avail. There was, unfortunately, not a natural way to lead into saying “I’m madly in love with the both of you” as far as Billy could tell.

Which just made it so much harder to say that, because he couldn’t find a way to actually  _ start _ saying it.

"Are you okay?" Kara turned to look at him. "You've been awfully quiet for a couple of minutes. Is something wrong?"

“I… I, uh… there’s something I’ve been wanting to tell you both.” Billy stuttered in reply. This was it, the moment he’d spent the last two weeks panicking about.

"What is it?" Barry tore his gaze away so he could direct it towards Billy.

“I um… I like you. Both of you.” He rushed out, trying not to let himself back out of it.

Kara blinked. "When you say that you "like us" do you mean…?"

"I mean I want to date you. Both of you," Billy clarified, nearly freezing as he said the words. He’d actually said it. Despite all his fears, he’d actually managed to get the words out. Two weeks of stress and worry, and it was over in  _ seconds _ .

Billy closed his eyes, turning away as he prepared for whatever going to happen next. If he got lucky, maybe they’d still talk to him, still want to be his friends-

"Well," Kara said slowly, cutting off his thoughts and causing Billy to open his eyes in shock, "I'm glad that I'm not the only one who feels that way."

“...Yeah, same.” Barry agreed after a moment.

Billy turned to see both of them smiling at him. His own grin was wide and he moved closer, he had to say something, to tell them how much this meant to him.

“T-thanks guys.” Anything else Billy had to say was lost when the Particle Accelerator finally turned on. The building lit up, and just for a few seconds everything was  _ right _ .

And then it all went so  _ wrong _ .

The wave, when it came, seemed to originate from the Accelerator, an expanding bubble of energy that rushed outwards in all directions.

“That can’t be good.” Billy commented as the wave faded away, only to be replaced by a second, larger and faster one. He moved closer to the edge of the building, ready to power up and see if he could help, when the sky suddenly filled crackling thunder and forks of lightning.

Even from where they were, half a city away from the source of the energy waves, Billy could feel the air rushing past him as it got displaced.

“It’s not supposed to do that, is it?” Kara checked, having to speak up a little to be heard over the wind that was sent towards them with the third wave of energy.

"No," Barry confirmed. "It's not."

“Okay then… okay, okay, okay…” Billy took a deep breath to calm himself, getting ready for whatever was going to happen next. “Kara, help Barry get somewhere safe, I don’t want him up here or on those stairs if that thing starts an earthquake. I’ll go check and see what’s going on. Come join me when you’re sure you’re not needed somewhere else.”

It really shouldn’t have been this easy to take command of the situation. But somehow, the Particle Accelerator exploding, and possibly threatening everyone in the city, felt easier to deal with than the confession he’d given just moments before.

Well, Billy had wanted something big to get him out of this conversation, and it looked like he’d gotten it.

He just wished the citizens of Central hadn't gotten mixed up in this too.

“Hey! Before you run off,” Barry shouted, turning away slightly as another pulse kicked up the wind violently, “We  _ are _ going to talk about what just happened later, right?!”

"Right…" Billy nodded. "We'll talk later."

"And that means when this is over, not in two weeks," Kara added. 

“Okay then.” And then, just as Billy moved to say the word, another wave of energy exploded out from the Star Labs. Unlike the others though, this one didn’t dissipate into the air, instead it seemed to pause briefly, before it began to  _ implode _ .

“Oh… fuck.” The bubble of energy exploded outwards again, this time twice as fast and as bright as any before it. “Shazam!”

Two bolts came down from the heavens.

The first hit Billy head on, causing his lightning scar to flare up in a way that had become strangely comforting. His body filled with energy, and within seconds he was transformed.

The other bolt came down and struck Barry in the chest, causing him to cry out in pain as he was blasted across the rooftop.

“Barry!” The two shouts echoed across the rooftop, lost in the cacophony of noises that Central City erupted into.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So one of our commenters, Yiviris, asked: "Tbh, I'm super curious if Barry gets his super speed before the story ends." The answer is yes, yes he will. Sort of. That is the right lightning bolt, so he'll get his powers when he recovers.
> 
> The next two chapters are the immediate fallout of the Particle Accelerator exploding, so that'll be fun.
> 
> As always: threats to kidnap, passionate Spanish, random suggestions and questions, all of it is welcome down in the comments.


	29. The Bombed Themselves With Science

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kara tried to focus on her work, which was currently ripping the door off a car so that the kid trapped inside could get out, and not on what had happened on the rooftop.
> 
> It was one thing to see Billy be struck by lightning, because Billy was supposed to get struck by lightning, it was how he activated his powers.
> 
> But Barry… Barry wasn’t meant to get hit by lightning, and the sight of her friend lying on the roof of that old building had made her feel like her heart stopped. He hadn’t been breathing, hadn’t been doing much of anything besides spasming as his muscles twitched from the electricity that was coursing through his body.
> 
> Kara had never been so fast in her life. She’d been inside a hospital, asking for help, within seconds.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Pat Pass was used last chapter, but the aftereffects are still happening here. It's not the focus, but it's still there.
> 
> Also: roll call on the Marvel Family's new powers are names!
> 
> Rock of Eternity Link, for more Billy Batson Fics: (https://discord.gg/C6jSt8FS96)

“Is everyone alright?!” Eddie shouted to the crowd around him when it looked like the Star Labs had finally stopped exploding.

It had been terrifying, watching it happen. He was lucky, in that he was far enough away that he didn’t get hit by anything besides the final wave, but it had been terrifying to watch. For more than a minute he’d felt that he was going to die, and the entire city was going to go with him.

Luckily it seemed to have passed, even if the last wave had hit the city like an earthquake. Windows were cracked, car alarms blared, and there was a faint ringing in Eddie’s ears that was already starting to pass.

Eddie wanted nothing more than to track down the people he cared about and make sure that they were all okay, to make sure that they were all  _ safe _ . But he couldn’t do that, not yet at least.

He was a police officer, and he had a duty to help everyone that he could in times of crisis.

Which this probably counted as.

He immediately began trying to help people out of previously stable buildings. Some were trapped by debris and he did what he could to free them. He only stopped long enough to check in with the station who were desperately trying to track down all of their officers.

His phone started to ring while he was helping an elderly woman out of her car. Once she was safe he glanced down to see that Iris was the one calling. She had been watching a movie with Eobard, so he hesitated then picked up.

"I'm okay," he assured her, not giving her a moment to speak, "Are the two of you fine?"

_ “Power’s out here, and I heard something fall off a shelf and shatter, but we’re okay.” _ Iris promised him.

"See if you can get in touch with Joe and Barry, I'm going to head further in, see if I can help," he told her. "I might not be able to talk for a while."

_ “Okay, I’ll see what I can do.” _ She said, and just hearing her voice helped calm Eddie’s nerves a little.  _ “Love you.” _

"I love you too," he closed the phone and put it back in his pocket. He had a lot of work to do.

He could hear screams getting louder, and when he looked in that direction he could see the nearby overpass was cracking straight down the middle. And the people screaming were under it, trapped in the cars that had crashed when the final pulse had hit.

Eddie had just started running towards it in the hopes of saving at least a few people when a blue and red blur shot past him and into the gap under the overpass. Eddie gasped in shock at seeing  _ Supergirl _ of all people there, bracing herself against the crumbling overpass.

“Bit of help here!” She called out, clearly straining. “This thing is kind of heavy!”

"Right," Eddie nodded. "Everyone who can help start freeing the people in the cars before she loses her grip," he ordered.

Between Eddie and the civilians that he had rallied it only took a few minutes before the traded civilians had been freed. Supergirl then gently sat the pieces of the overpass down and flew over to Eddie.

"Thanks for the help," he told her. "We really appreciate it."

"No problem," she smiled. "I was in the area and thought I would help. I imagine the big guy will probably show up soon, and I know Captain Marvel is here too."

Eddie breathed a sigh of relief. The knowledge that other superheroes were either here or on the way was wonderful news.

"Now if you'll excuse me, I've got other places to be." Eddie simply nodded as she took off, no doubt to help someone else, and went back to work.

* * *

Kara tried to focus on her work, which was currently ripping the door off a car so that the kid trapped inside could get out, and not on what had happened on the rooftop.

It was one thing to see Billy be struck by lightning, because Billy was  _ supposed _ to get struck by lightning, it was how he activated his powers.

But Barry… Barry wasn’t meant to get hit by lightning, and the sight of her friend lying on the roof of that old building had made her feel like her heart stopped. He hadn’t been breathing, hadn’t been doing much of anything besides spasming as his muscles twitched from the electricity that was coursing through his body.

Kara had never been so fast in her life. She’d been inside a hospital, asking for help, within  _ seconds _ .

She was so glad that she’d already been getting changed when the bolt hit, because it meant that the hospital staff paid attention when  _ Supergirl _ all but ordered them to treat Barry.

“Clark, where the hell are you?” She quietly asked, moving to assist in evacuating people from a burning building she spotted down the road. She knew that Billy was going to call for help, but she really needed her cousin here to help.

She really needed him here to tell her that Barry would be alright…

* * *

Billy floated high above Central, taking in the damage. Normally he’d not indulge himself like this, people needed help after all, but being so high up held another advantage.

Privacy.

He reached out to the side, grasping at thin air and twisting his hand. When he looked down at his hand to confirm that he’d performed the spell correctly he was greeted with the sight of his cell phone.

“Pick up, pick up, pick up!” He anxiously chanted after pressing the button for the speed dial. He couldn’t do this alone, not after what had happened to Barry, but he also couldn’t afford to spend all night up here praying that someone would pick up the phone.

_ "Billy!" _ Mary's voice was filled with worry.  _ "Are you okay?" _

“Yeah, I’m fine.” He quickly assured her. “Listen, I need everyone powered up and at the park by Fawcett General in the next five minutes.”

_ "You got it." _

“And round up as many people as you can as well.” He continued. “Fire fighters, EMTs, police, good samaritans, whoever you can. I’ll open a portal to your end soon.”

He’d never done a portal that big before, had never even attempted it, but Central needed help. One big sustained portal, right outside the hospital, would hopefully ease some of the burden on the city.

If the Wisdom of Solomon was working right, he figured that he could leave a portal as big as he was planning on making open for about six hours before he needed to recharge it.

He really hoped that his powers were working right.

He flew towards Star Labs, the epicenter of the explosion, before he quickly realized there was no room for a portal here. He then flew to the nearest hospital. There was plenty of room here for emergency vehicles to travel through.

He landed roughly, not bothering to be gentle in his movements in the slightest, and marched through the front doors of the hospital.

“Excuse me, I’d like to talk to someone in authority.” He told the clearly shocked receptionist at the front desk. “Quickly please.”

"Of course," she nodded when she got over her shock. Luckily for Billy an official looking doctor of some kind soon presented themselves to him.

"What can I do for you?" She looked frazzled and was carrying several iv bags.

“Sorry to take you away from your patients doctor,” He apologized, “But I thought it best to warn you that I’m about to do something that should help.”

"Like what?" She looked more interested now.

“I can open a portal outside, from here to Fawcett General.” Billy quickly explained. “I figured that an entire extra hospital would go a long way.”

"It would," she agreed. "Go ahead and open your portal, I'll let the staff here know."

“Alright. Good luck.” Billy didn’t waste any more time, marching back outside to where he wanted to put the portal. It was a short ways from the hospital itself, plenty of room for emergency services to set up around the portal and not get in the way, but he figured that it was close enough.

He grasped at the air again, focusing on the place that he wanted the portal to go, and then rotated his wrist. The air seemed to swirl in on the point he was holding for a moment, but it soon cleared to reveal a golden ringed gateway that led to a large crowd.

“Nice of you to join the party.” Billy greeted, feeling a bit better when he spotted not only all his siblings, but also Rosa and Victor in the van, which was surely loaded with supplies and people to assist in the crisis.

But, best of all, there was a fairly large turnout as well. Cars of all kinds, all manner of emergency services, and even people on foot were standing on the other side of the portal.

They could do this.

“Let’s get to work!” He called out, floating up and back a bit so he was completely out of the way of the civilians. “Team, on me!”

“Overwatch, sync up with whoever’s in charge, keep us up to date.” Pedro nodded, peeling off to land by a large group that seemed to be setting up a command tent nearby, where Billy could see him quickly joining in the discussions they were having over what was surely a very hastily procured map.

“Doctor Frost.” Mary snapped to attention at his word. “Help with triage, get people  _ out _ of critical condition, and then leave the rest to the doctors.”

It wasn’t the best situation, and ideally she’d heal everyone as much as possible before moving to the next person, but Billy wasn’t sure if they’d have time for that when things really got going. Better to save as many people as possible, rather than getting every single one of them back on their feet.

“Save their lives, and move on.” He stressed. They could recover the old fashioned way, by waiting, after Mary made sure they weren’t actively dying. “Overwatch will tell you if we need you in the field.”

“Starlight, you’re Overwatch’s legs.” He turned to Darla as Mary moved to start healing the first wave of casualties that were brought in. Darla was the fastest of them, and was the best choice for this. She could cross the city easily, be anywhere that Pedro needed her, in order to save lives. “If he needs you somewhere, I want you there as soon as possible.”

Darla nodded, looking more serious than Billy had ever seen her. Even when they’d fought against the Sins she hadn’t looked like this. As she moved to stand by Pedro, and then to help get the command tent set up, Billy promised himself that he’d talk to Victor and Rosa about that, just to be safe.

“Icarus, Warspawn.” Freddy and Eugene perked up at their names, ready for their orders. “You’re with me. We’re hitting the city, and then splitting up to do what we can.”

* * *

Pedro frowned as he leaned over the table, looking over the map as the reports came in around him. It was easy, nearly trivial, to absorb all the information that was coming in around him and sort it out.

That didn’t mean this was  _ easy  _ though.

“Starlight, civilians trapped here, here, and here.” He pointed on the map, not even twitching as he heard Darla speed off to assist in the locations he’d indicated, and then calling out to the assembled forces around him. “Has anyone got word from the northern precinct yet?”

One of the police precincts in the northern half of the city hadn’t checked in, and the “Marvel Family”, as the press had named them, were spread too thin to check it out. Darla had been in the tent for less than ten seconds before he’d sent her off again.

"Not yet," an officer shook his head. "I could probably round up a couple of officers but we're stretched pretty thin too."

“Dammit.” Pedro muttered, hoping that the precinct could survive whatever had happened to them until the forces could be spared to check in on them.

He took a moment to assess the situation, even as he took in new information. That was possibly the hardest thing to adapt to: being so constantly aware of  _ everything _ around him. He wasn’t sure which of his powers that was, but it did prove useful in times like this.

The Sight of Heimdall, the Wrath of Set, the Strength of Maahes, the Glory of Hyperion, the Power of Raijin, the Knowledge of Guan Yu...

Those were his powers, his gifts from Billy. They made him powerful, capable of commanding the weather itself. But, more to his style, they also allowed him to focus on coordinating his family to be better, to be exactly where they had to be.

“Okay, round up whoever we can.” He began, looking over the map. “We can move the southern trauma center to-”

“I believe here would be best.” A deep voice cut him off, a single finger poking at the map, a few blocks to the north of where Pedro was going to say. Pedro nearly disagreed, because of course he’d thought of that spot, but when he actually thought it over he realized that the selected position was actually better than the spot he’d chosen.

"You're right," he agreed then blinked when he realized that the finger was  _ green. _ He looked up and almost choked when he realized the  _ Martian Manhunter _ was standing there.

"We finally made it. Since you seem to be in charge, where do you need us?"

Pedro sighed in relief. "Here," he tapped the map. "We haven't been able to establish contact with the northern precinct and I can't really spare the manpower to investigate. So if you could send someone there I would really appreciate it."

“Of course.” And with that the Martian Manhunter flew through the ceiling, phasing straight through the material.

"I don't think I'll ever get used to that," Pedro sighed then got back to coordinating. "Let your men know the Justice League is here so they don't get startled."

“Thank fuck.” Pedro politely pretended that he didn’t hear, and totally agree with, whoever said that. 

* * *

Darla banked around a corner, her hand drifting across the dirt and she slid along the road, and then sped back up as she hit a straightaway. It had taken time for her to learn to turn corners, Mom and Dad hadn’t let her do fancy tricks like that until she’d proven she wouldn’t crash.

Billy, the party pooper, had agreed with them.

But now she could do stuff like that whenever she wanted. Which was awesome, even if she was doing it in the middle of a city that had literally bombed themselves with science.

As she sped up to the last place that Pedro had asked her to check, she found that someone had already beaten her here. Which was odd, she was nearly always the first to get to places when powered up, so it was a bit of a surprise to see someone kneeling over an injured person, tying a strip of cloth around their leg.

“Hiya.” She greeted, coming to a stop next to the person. Who, Darla realized, was  _ Wonder Woman! _ She was standing next to Wonder Woman! No, wait. Focus. Pedro had sent her out here for a reason. “I can get him to the hospital.”

"That would be lovely," Wonder Woman smiled up at her. "And who are you? I don't recognize you."

“I’m Starlight!” Darla cheerfully told the older hero. “I’m Marvel’s sister.”

Oh, how she loved saying that. Billy still had bad days, where they got all funny about having a family, but she did so love having Billy as a brother. Or a sister. Whatever they were, Darla was just happy to have Billy around.

“Oh?” Wonder Woman hummed, giving the man beneath them one last look over before helping him into Darla’s arms. “I think I’ll have to stop by Fawcett sometime in the future, Starlight.”

"Wow, really?" Darla's eyes widened. "That would be so cool!" She squealed.

“Perhaps we can have a friendly spar?” Wonder Woman offered. “I heard that the Captain’s powers are derived from a number of gods, and I’m quite curious to see how they fare in a fight.”

"Yep," Darla nodded. "We all have different ones. I have Victory from Nike, the Chaos of Klarion, the Sight of Leto, the Grace of Hebe, the Fires of Pele, and the Sunlight of Amaterasu. I'd love to fight you."

“Klarion?” Darla rolled her eyes at the other hero’s confusion.

“Yeah, he’s a friend. Anyway, I have to go and help more people.” Darla really didn’t want to leave, because Wonder Woman seemed really cool, but Pedro was probably getting worried about her taking so long. “Seeya!”

Darla sped off down the road, back to where she knew the hospital was.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The other half of the fam are in the next chapter, don't worry.
> 
> Comments, threats of kidnapping, Spanish shouting, questions, and general chit-chat are always welcome in the comments.


	30. The creepy guy in a bat suit.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Well, nice to see that I’m not working alone here.” Superman grinned. “Good work there, that didn’t look easy.”
> 
> "I-it-it wasn't," Freddy stammered. "You did most of the work. Thank you so much. I didn't think I was going to pull it off."
> 
> “Not a problem,” Superman assured him, moving into the building, “And it’s nice to meet who I assume is one of Marvel’s siblings, he mentioned having a few?”
> 
> "Yep," Freddy nodded,following after. "I'm Icarus."
> 
> “Interesting name,” The man of steel acknowledged, helping a civilian to their feet, “Hopefully it works out better for you than the original person to use it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The second half of the other chapter from today, covering the rest of the Marvel Family.
> 
> The Pat Pass aftereffects are still being felt, so watch out for that.
> 
> Rock of Eternity Link, for more Billy Batson Fics: (https://discord.gg/C6jSt8FS96)

Freddy panted as he floated above a building that had, somehow, burst into flames. The entire six floor office building was burning, with flames bursting out of the windows, and smoke filling the air.

Luckily, if he was  _ very  _ careful, he could do something about that.

Freddy had power over the wind, of the air, and that meant that he could pull the oxygen away from the fires and smother them.

Assuming he could do it without suffocating the people still inside.

Under his watch a number of small vortexes reached down from the sky to the north side of the building, pulling the fire and smoke away from the building and into the air where it harmlessly dissipated into nothing. It was a  _ very _ fine line that Freddy was treading, between removing the smoke and fire and removing the actually breathable air that anyone trapped inside was using.

And, unfortunately, he could only do one side of the building at once. Not only was he unwilling to try and do this blindly on the sides that he couldn’t see, it was demanding all his attention to just do the side that he  _ could  _ see.

As he worked he prayed that the people inside had enough sense to move to the north side where he was working. If they got away from the flames then surely they could hold out long enough to be rescued.

Unfortunately they didn't seem to be that smart, and he grit his teeth as their screams became more and more desperate. He was ready to scream in frustration when he saw a red and blue blur flying toward him. As it got closer the features became clearer and he realized that it was  _ Superman. _

Now, Freddy was a fanboy, even he’d admit that, so the idea of actually meeting  _ Superman _ was amazing. And under nearly any other circumstances he’d probably bombard the man of steel with questions about being a superhero.

But, as luck would have it, even his brief distraction of looking at Superman’s arrival was nearly dangerous, as his control slipped for a second and one of the flames on the third floor flared up briefly before he refocused on his work. He really couldn’t afford to  _ not _ pay attention to the burning building.

Superman had almost reached Freddy when a chill hit the air. The flames began to cool down, flickering. Much of the smoke was lessening and blown away, and Freddy seized the opportunity to blow away the remainder.

“Well, nice to see that I’m not working alone here.” Superman grinned. “Good work there, that didn’t look easy.”

"I-it-it wasn't," Freddy stammered. "You did most of the work. Thank you so much. I didn't think I was going to pull it off."

“Not a problem,” Superman assured him, moving into the building, “And it’s nice to meet who I assume is one of Marvel’s siblings, he mentioned having a few?”

"Yep," Freddy nodded,following after. "I'm Icarus."

“Interesting name,” The man of steel acknowledged, helping a civilian to their feet, “Hopefully it works out better for you than the original person to use it.”

"It will," Freddy assured him. He paused for a moment as he ripped a locked door clean off the hinges, letting the family inside get out, "When I get my wings they won't be made of wax and Mom said I can't go that close to the sun anyways."

“Wings?” Freddy was asked as he pushed open another door.

"Yeah Bi-Captain Marvel said they would help me get some when I figure out how to tap more into my powers," Freddy explained.

“Well, I hope that works out for you.” Superman said, moving a bookcase from where it had fallen in front of a door.

"Same here," Freddy agreed. "They were right-you are cool."

“Thanks.” Superman paused briefly to smile at his compliment, but was quickly back to work, “So, do you have the same powers as the Captain?” 

"Nope," Freddy shook his head.

“Oh? What’d you end up with?” Came the question.

"Don't laugh, but I got the Grace of Cupid, the Winds of Stribog, the Power of Tsukuyomi, the Skill of Maui, the Dreams of Morpheus, and the Flames of Acheron."

“That’s a lot of powers.” Superman commented, looking interested. “Do you all have so many?”

"We all have six," Freddy confirmed. "And none of us have the same ones either.

“...can I offer some advice?” He was asked, Superman sounding mildly worried.

“Um… okay?” Freddy allowed, starting to get a bit nervous at the look he was receiving.

“Don’t tell Batman how many powers your family has.” Was Superman’s advice. “Trust me, just don’t.”

"Sure," Freddy agreed. "I think he's cool and everything, but Dad said he didn't want some creepy guy in a bat suit stalking us. No offense."

“Batman is not some creepy guy in a bat suit,” Superman refuted, “He’s  _ the _ creepy guy in a bat suit. And no offense taken. Fair warning though: he’ll probably stalk you anyway when he finds some free time.”

"Cool," Freddy grinned then frowned. "I don't think I want that," he confessed. 

“Tell me about it…”

* * *

Mary wasn’t at the hospital, hadn’t been at the hospital for an hour. She’d started there of course, that’s where Billy had asked her to be, but Pedro had needed her in a bad area, where a train had jumped the rails and crashed into a subway station.

And now she was picking her way through the twisted and warped train, doing what she could to help anyone she came across.

She had never been so happy that the list she’d given Billy had included so many deities of protection and healing, because she wasn’t sure that she’d manage this without every inch of power she had.

The Healing of Isis, the Grace of Freya, the Cold of Khione, the Magic of Heka, the Power of Kumugwe, and the Spells of Circe.

Their powers all flowed through her veins and their knowledge was incredibly useful right now. She knew instinctively which person needed her help the most and who could wait to see a  _ real _ doctor, and could treat them appropriately.

“Hey, need a hand?” A voice called out behind her. Mary turned to see a green figure moving across the uneven floor with near perfect balance. A hood obscured much of their face, and the edge of a bow that she could see over his shoulder helped identify them.

“Green Arrow, isn’t it?” She asked instead, kneeling over someone that her powers indicated had suffered a head wound. It was easy to treat, nearly instinctive, she just had to trust the small voice in her head that told her how to use her powers.

“I'm afraid I don't know who you are so I can't return the favor," he called as he got closer.

"You can call me Doctor Frost," she informed him as she used her magic to push a broken bone back under the skin and temporarily knit it back together. She was in a rush and didn't want to accidentally make things worse. It would hold until the man could get to the hospital. "But yes I would appreciate some help."

“In that case, let me get this guy out of here for you.” Green Arrow offered, kneeling over the man that Mary had just healed. “I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

"Thank you," Mary smiled at him then moved to the next person.

* * *

“Everyone get on!” Eugene called, holding up the boat that he’d taken from the water down below. The bridge in front of him was cracking, and it was only a matter of time before it broke completely, and with no way to solve  _ that _ problem, he’d… well, to be honest he’d stolen a ferry that was passing by and carried it up for people to get onto.

It wouldn’t be enough, it was never going to be enough. The ferry might have been able to hold everyone, but people were trapped in cars, were injured and couldn’t get to the boat, and then there was just the question of  _ time _ .

But he was the only one in the area, so he just had to hold up this boat and save whoever he could.

So much for the Ingenuity of Vulcan, when his best plan was “hope people saved themselves”.

But Eugene had asked to be a front line fighter, it was why he’d chosen his name: Warspawn. He was a fighter, a strong warrior that would protect his family. He just didn’t have the right powers to stop a bridge from falling apart.

The Fury of Fenrir, the Skill of Ares, the Ingenuity of Vulcan, the Accuracy of Apollo, the Valor of Nerio, and the Justice of Tyr. Those were his powers, and right now they were nearly useless.

“Move inside, and to the back.” He shouted, as people made the perilous journey onto the ferry. “Make room for the next person.”

It was never going to be enough. Eugene knew that, and he was unfortunately proved right when one of the suspension cables snapped and the entire bridge warped before his eyes. But, just as he was sure that it was going to completely break apart, it stopped moving, held in place by a green glow that Eugene could see covered the entire length of the bridge.

“That was a close one.” A deep voice called out. Eugene turned to see a dark skinned man in a glowing green outfit come down besides him, a thread of emerald energy extending from one hand, connecting him to the glow that held the bridge in place.

“Thanks.” Eugene nodded at the other hero.

“You looked like you needed some help.” Was all the Green Lantern said as the glow from the bridge extended into two claws that grabbed the ferry. “Why don’t you go topside, I’ll hold that for you.”

"Cool," Eugene grinned then relinquished the ferry. "I'll help the ones that are trapped," he called as he flew up to do just that.

* * *

The power of Captain Marvel bled over to Billy, making him just a bit more magical every day. This meant that he was growing increasingly capable of casting spells when not powered up.

Like a simple diagnosis spell.

Billy sat, powered down, outside the room that he knew Barry was in. He couldn’t go in, Barry wasn’t taking visitors yet, but Billy wasn’t worried.

Okay, that was a lie. He was quietly freaking out.

But he’d put a small spell on Barry before Kara had taken off with him, just a simple thing that let Billy know that, despite all his fears, Barry was  _ alive _ . He didn’t know what state he was in besides that, but the knowledge that Barry was still alive was enough.

It had to be enough.

Joe West had been there earlier, and he’d looked about as worried as Billy felt. But he’d moved off to argue with a doctor about something that Billy hadn’t caught, so he was currently alone in the hallway, focusing all his attention on the spell that told him that his friend wasn’t dead.

“This seat free?” Billy looked up at the voice, only mildly surprised to see Bruce Wayne standing next to him. He hadn’t expected this to happen here, but Kara had warned him that the Bat would track him down eventually for a talk of some kind.

“I’m not using it.” He shrugged, leaning back a bit to keep the dark knight in his sights.

"Thank you," Bruce sat next to him. "I was in the area when I heard about the explosion. I came by to see if the hospital needed any financial help."

Billy debated for a moment, considering if he wanted to try the subtle way of things. He could ask why offering financial aid would involve talking to a random teenager in the hospital, he could ask why Bruce Wayne wasn’t off getting good press by helping out the people that still needed help, he could ask so many questions that wouldn’t give away what he knew.

“And you thought you’d look in on me while you were here?” But he really wasn’t in the mood for subtlety. “Check out the new guy?”

"I don't know what you mean," Wayne lied. "I saw you and thought you could use some cheering up. That's all."

“I’m curious how you figured it out.” Billy continued, not even bothering to acknowledge the lie. “Just so that I know what mistake I made. I thought I’d been pretty careful, but Kara seems to think you’re pretty smart, so maybe I missed something.”

Wayne was tense as he said, "I don't know what you're talking about."

“Really? You’re going to try that?” Billy had to give him this: Wayne was dedicated to not outing himself. But unfortunately for him, Billy was  _ not _ in the mood for subtlety and beating around the bush. His friend got struck by lightning, he’d spent the last several hours helping make sure Central City didn’t fall apart, and now he had to deal with Bruce Wayne pretending that he wasn’t Batman.

Well, there was one way to do this quickly.

“Shaza-” He was proven correct when his mouth was covered by Wayne’s hand.

"I think we should talk privately," Wayne looked furious and nervous, no doubt hoping that no one would see him covering Billy’s mouth and ask questions. 

“The roof?” Billy suggested when he could speak again.

"Sure," Wayne led the way, probably having memorized the layout in his creepy cave while spying on Billy. 

“I don’t want to join the League.” Billy told Wayne when the door to the roof closed. He’d thought about it, about joining the  _ Justice League _ , but in the end he decided that it just wasn’t for him. He had enough to handle without joining an international team of superheroes.

Wayne looked genuinely shocked. He had probably never had someone turn him down before. "Why not?" He frowned. 

“I’ve got enough shit on my plate as it is.” Billy honestly replied. “Protecting Fawcett, working with my family, going to school,” Preparing for Teth-Adam, “I’m not up to joining the League right now. If you need some extra muscle, I’ll help out, but I’m too busy these days to be a real member.”

Wayne kept frowning. "I could help you find your mother," he offered. "If I did that would you be willing to join?"

“Been there, done that. Don’t fancy a rerun.” Huh, apparently the world’s greatest detective had missed something, because that had been before Christmas, over a month ago. And he  _ really _ didn’t like the idea of meeting with his mom, his  _ birth _ mom, a second time.

Maybe one day, when he was in a better frame of mind, but not right now.

"There must be something I could offer you," Wayne tried again.

“Why are you so desperate to have me in the League?” Billy asked in return. “And the things I want…” true self acceptance, a relationship with the two people he had feelings for, to stop feeling like he was so  _ broken _ , “...they’re not things that other people can give me.”

"You're too powerful to run around without someone keeping an eye on you. It's just not something we can allow."

“I  _ have _ someone keeping an eye on me: my family.” Billy glared. “And I don’t remember asking for your permission.”

He may have not asked for these powers, may still kind of hate the wizard for giving them like they had, but Billy was not going to be talked down to by some rich brat with a leather fetish.

"I don't care," Wayne was firm. "Either join the League or quit using your powers."

“...counter offer: stay the hell out of Fawcett, and my business, or I fly into Gotham and unmask you on live television.”

Wayne glowered at him for a long moment.

“Or maybe you’d like me to out Clark Kent?” Kara would  _ kill him  _ for that one, and Jason probably wouldn’t be too happy if he unmasked Wayne come to think of it, but Billy wasn't going to be threatened by anyone. Not without giving as good as he got.

"Fine," Wayne ground out. "But watch yourself when you're not in Fawcett."

“Oh no, some rich party boy might hurt me.” Billy mocked. “You know, I needed a laugh after today. Thanks for that. Just out of curiosity: how would you force me to abide by your little threat anyway? Have Superman sit on my roof all day, every day?”

Fuck this. He’d come back to see Barry later, maybe whenever Kara found the time to join him.

“Shazam.” When the lightning cleared Billy was pleased to find himself looking  _ down _ at Wayne. Not by much, just a few inches, but it was satisfying. “I would like to politely request, with all due respect to your immense power and status, that you kindly  _ fuck off _ . If you don’t, I will be forced to make you.”

He probably shouldn’t be quoting Klarion, but the chaotic little gremlin had such a way with words. Billy shouldered his way past Wayne, moving towards the edge of the rooftop when a thought struck him.

“Oh, and Wayne.” He briefly turned back over his shoulder. “I’m sure your parents would be so disappointed with you. Threatening a teenager because he didn’t bow to your whims? What would they say?”

And with that Billy took off, setting off for home.

As it turns out, Billy was right.

Today sucked.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Only one chapter left after this. It's kind of a surprising, to think that we're here already.
> 
> Don't worry, the sequel is already got a few chapters written, so that's on the way.
> 
> Also, Blue here: I'm actually a big fan of Batman. But the guy's kind of an ass, so we played on that. Plus, it's a fun reverse of a lot of fics, where Bruce is the only one that stands up for Billy.
> 
> Passionate Spanish, threats of kidnapping, questions, general conversations, and all other good things are welcome in the comment section below.


	31. Facing the Future

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "He's an ass," Kara said bluntly. "I don't know how Jason stands him."
> 
> “Unfortunately, he’s an ass running pretty much the only game in town.” Billy pointed out. “The Justice League is the international superhero team, there’s not really a lot of options if you want to help people all over the world.”
> 
> Kara frowned in thought. "Maybe we should create our own team when we're old enough to live on our own," she suggested.
> 
> “Just the three of us?” Billy asked, turning to her. “You, me, and Barry?”
> 
> She refused to consider the idea that Barry wouldn’t be there. He’d be there, standing next to them, somehow.
> 
> “Us against the world?” She quietly laughed. “Yeah, I think I could get behind that.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is it, the end of An Escape Artist's Last Chance. Fear not, this is not the last we'll see of this gang. We've already written part of the sequel, and that'll be out soon enough. So make sure to go up and subscribe to the "Finding Home" series, linked right at the top of this page.
> 
> Okay, Blue here being real: Thank you. Thank you for reading our story. Thank you for commenting on our story. Thank you for being a part of this journey with us. Here's to the future, both in this fic and in reality. May your every day be greater than the one before it.
> 
> *quietly holds up tattered remains of Pat Pass* Sorry, but... we're going to hurt you one more time. We promise that it's only once, and the rest of the chapter is safe.
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“So… I threatened Batman.” Billy told Kara.

It had been a week since the Particle Accelerator exploded. A week since the first time the entire Marvel Family had been out together. A week since they’d worked alongside the Justice League to save the city.

A week since Barry had officially fallen into a coma.

So far he hadn't shown any signs of improvement and the hospital staff was baffled. Mary hadn't been able to find anything wrong with him either so there was nothing she could do besides slip him a little extra energy.

Harrison Wells, the man responsible for the explosion in the first place, had offered to pay for all of Barry’s medical expenses in exchange for studying him. Joe West had slugged him, not even caring that the scientist was in a wheelchair, and then agreed to think about it.

The Wests weren't rich, and Barry's medical bills were a large drain on Joe's finances. He was obviously conflicted over what to do, but it was more than likely he would agree. 

"Why?" Kara asked, bringing Billy out of her thoughts 

“He told me to either join the League or stop using my powers.” She admitted. “I told him to stay out of Fawcett or I’d unmask him on live television.”

"I would've done the same thing," Kara grinned. "I think that's one reason Clark doesn't like for me to leave Metropolis."

“Who does he think he is? Deciding that he can just dictate what I can and can’t do? We’d never even met before that day, and he was trying to order me to change my entire life to suit him.” Billy ranted. “I told him he could ask me for help, but  _ apparently _ that’s not enough for him. I had to either join the League or else.”

"He's an ass," Kara said bluntly. "I don't know how Jason stands him."

“Unfortunately, he’s an ass running pretty much the only game in town.” Billy pointed out. “The Justice League is  _ the _ international superhero team, there’s not really a lot of options if you want to help people all over the world.”

Kara frowned in thought. "Maybe we should create our own team when we're old enough to live on our own," she suggested.

“Just the three of us?” Billy asked, turning to her. “You, me, and Barry?”

She refused to consider the idea that Barry wouldn’t be there. He’d be there, standing next to them, somehow.

“Us against the world?” She quietly laughed. “Yeah, I think I could get behind that.”

"We could invite Jason. I'm sure we'll have other hero friends by then, but the three of us will run it," Kara said.

“Would your cousin  _ let you _ run off and make some other superhero team?” Billy asked.

Kara shrugged. "That's why I said a year or two, when we can live on our own. If he puts up a fight I'll get myself legally emancipated or something."

"That would be cool," Billy offered, smiling at the thought. "I wouldn't mind living somewhere with you and Barry. Maybe, maybe share a room together?"

"Shouldn't we date first?" Kara teased.

“...Saturday?” Billy tentatively suggested, blushing a bit at her own words.

"I think that sounds like fun," Kara smiled at her.

* * *

Eobard Thawne, time traveler, sat on the roof of his “cousin’s” house.

He did feel a bit bad about lying to Eddie about their relation, but he really needed somewhere to stay after he found himself stranded in the early twenty-first century, and the Thawne family was well known to be pretty good people.

Well, the ones that weren’t in prison at least.

It was why he had chosen “Thawne” as his name, to honor a great hero. He’d never actually expected to  _ meet _ the man. But he had, and it turned out that Eddie was pretty cool, future awesomeness aside.

He’d wanted to meet the Flash when he was young, to talk to the hero, but he’d overshot by a few years, to before Barry even had  _ powers _ . And then his suit malfunctioned, and he lost his connection to the Speed Force, and now he was trapped here.

But he was glad he was here, because the people were actually really nice. Eddie tried his hardest to do right by Eobard, and despite a few mistakes along the way, he was doing good. Iris was great, and she’d accepted him as part of Eddie’s family nearly faster than Eddie himself did. And Barry… Barry was great.

Eobard had never really had a lot of real friends. He was too smart for most people, too invested in his research and projects. He regretted that now, because maybe if he had friends he’d have brought someone with him to meet the Flash, and maybe  _ their _ equipment wouldn’t have broken down, so they could have worked out a way back.

But he had real friends now. Like Barry, and Lisa, and a few other people that Barry had introduced him to. Like Kara! She was only Supergirl right now, and had it all to come, but he’d met  _ Kara Kent! _ And, after he’d stopped geeking out long enough to have a real conversation, she actually seemed to like him. Not like she obviously liked Billy Batson or Barry, but she seemed to like him enough to call him a friend.

But not everything was good for Eobard. Barry Allen was in a coma, nearly four whole years before when he was recorded to get hit by lightning. That was wrong, terribly wrong.

He wasn’t the only time traveller that was interested in the Flash.

It was a short list, but right at the top of it was Harrison Wells. The man had some passing connection to the Flash from what Eobard remembered, beyond it being his Particle Accelerator that had created the first waves of metahumans. But now? Barry was being moved to Star Labs to be watched over by Wells himself.

That wasn’t right. Either Wells was another time traveler, or he was being manipulated by one.

And then there was the  _ other _ thing he’d learned: Barry’s mom was dead, killed by what sounded suspiciously like a speedster. That was new, Barry’s mother had been registered as alive for another several decades when Eobard had done his last checks before he came back to meet the Flash.

So Eobard’s current theory was thus: Harrison Wells was a time travelling speedster that had murdered Barry’s mother.

So Barry’s comatose body was currently under the care of a possibly murderous person that could move faster than sound.

Eobard really needed to look into regaining his powers, and figuring out why they’d disappeared when he’d time travelled. Barry would need all the help he could get when this all came to a head.

* * *

“It’s going to be soon, isn’t it?” Billy asked. Before her was what looked like a great stone door. Twenty feet tall, covered in countless markings of protection, and engraved with two words across the front.

Black Adam.

Teth-Adam, named Black Adam by the wizard Shazam, was on the other side of the door. Every day Billy could tell he was closer to escaping, closer to freeing himself of his prison. The markings, which she knew had once been brightly colored, were now dull and faded, crack spiderwebbed along the entire thing, and she could  _ hear him _ on the other side.

Boom. Boom. Boom.

His fists, striking hard against the stone doors that held him back. He’d be free soon, by the year’s end if Fate’s warning held true. Billy didn’t think she had very long, she wasn’t that lucky. It would be soon, probably in the next six months or so by her estimate.

The hardest fight of her life.

“I’ll be here.” She told the former Champion. “I’ll be ready for you.”

_ "We'll  _ be ready for you." A voice called from behind her. She didn’t turn to see who it was, but leant back when an arm came around her shoulder. “All of us, together.”

“Yeah, we’ll do this together.” Another voice, another arm.

And one by one her family voiced their support, before long the entire Vasquez Family, parents included, was sitting in front of Teth-Adam’s prison, holding each other.

* * *

“Hey, can we come in?” Billy looked from where she was chatting with her friends to see Rosa and Victor waiting in the door.

“Sure, what’s up?” She asked, putting her tablet aside to focus on the conversation.

Her parents looked unusually nervous as they entered, Victor closing the door behind him. Unlike the first time this had happened, what felt like a lifetime ago, her heart didn't go into overdrive and she didn't tense in preparation of a blow. They wouldn't hurt her, and she knew that.

"Well," Rosa sat on the edge of the bed. "We've asked all of our children this question, and now that you know where your birth parents are we thought it time to ask you too."

Victor spoke next, resting a hand on Rosa's shoulder. "We were wondering if we could adopt you."

“...I… I’d love that,” Billy said, mildly overwhelmed by the idea. She could be a real part of the family. Not that they treated her like she wasn’t family, but there was something about actually being adopted that made it  _ real _ . But, there was just one small problem, “But I don’t think you can.”

Rosa frowned. "Why not?" She asked, her voice gentle.

"...I-I," Billy had to swallow and start again. "I don't know when my birthday is," she admitted, her cheeks turning red with embarrassment, “So, so you can’t fill out the paperwork.”

Billy’s life had, to put it bluntly, kind of sucked for the last eleven years or so. Somewhere along the way she’d forgotten her own birthday, and none of her foster families had cared enough to remind her of when it was. Well, none of the ones she’d been in when she was there near it at least. She knew which month it was in, but she couldn’t remember the actual  _ day _ it fell on.

Victor looked an odd mix of angry and horrified. He finally settled on wrapping Billy in a hug, which Billy readily returned. "That's not a problem," he told her. "Our lawyer can find it, I'm sure. If nothing else we can talk to your birth mom and see if she knows."

Billy flinched at the thought of seeing her again. She didn't think she could do it.

"You don't have to go," Rosa assured her. "We can ask her ourselves. As long as you want to be adopted we'll fight for you."

To her dismay Billy could feel tears welling up in her eyes. Happy tears yes, but still annoying. Rosa rubbed her back and hummed and Billy relaxed into her parents' embrace. She finally let go of...just everything and let their love surround her. Maybe...maybe she wasn't too broken but, even if she was, they didn't care. 

“Thanks.” She told them, nearly having to fight through the tears to do so.

* * *

“Can we talk?” Clark asked from the other side of Kara’s door. “Before you go on your date?”

"Sure," Kara didn't turn away from her mirror as she brushed her hair. "What did you want to talk about?"

“I wanted to talk to you about some stuff.” Clark began, moving into the room. “Mostly about who you’re dating.”

Kara groaned. "I can take care of myself, Clark," she sighed.

“I know you can, that’s not what I wanted to talk about.” He told her. “I just wanted to say: be careful. Dating other superheroes can be hard, especially if you plan on working together.”

"I know. Trust me, we'll be careful and-how the hell do you know about Billy? Let me guess,  _ Bruce  _ told you, didn't he?"

“I’m not talking to Bruce right now, so I didn’t hear it from him.” Clark denied, looking quite annoyed at whatever the Batman had done this time. “I  _ am _ a pretty good reporter you know? I figured it out.”

"Fair enough," she admitted.

“So, about Billy: be careful. I know they mean well, and they don’t want to hurt you, but it can be so easy to get emotional when someone you love gets hurt.” He told her, trying to look serious. “They’re going to get hurt one day, or you’re going to get hurt one day, because those are the lives you live. You have to be ready for that.”

"Like Barry," she said quietly.

“Yeah, that’s something else I wanted to talk to you about.” She was told. “Dating two people at once can be… tricky. I know Barry’s not here right now, but you have to make sure you don’t neglect one partner for the other.”

“Do you know  _ everything?” _ Kara asked in shock.

“Not everything, but enough. For example, I know that more than a few superheroes are annoyed at my inability to tell Lois about who I am.” He paused for a moment, debating something, before continuing, “And I know that you really need to learn to pay more attention to what’s happening around you, distracted by young love or not.”

“What do you mean?” Kara asked, completely thrown off guard by the conversation.

“Kara, Lois and I have been dating for three months.” ...what?

“What?!” She demanded. No, there was no way that they were dating! Clark had complained about Lois not knowing who he was  _ yesterday! _

“I told her a year ago.” He told her, laughing at her reactions. “It’s just really fun seeing how much time I can waste in official Justice League meetings complaining about it.”

“...anything else?” Kara asked, deciding that she’d deal with Clark and his warped sense of humor later.

“Yes, one last thing before you leave.” He moved closer, pulling her into a gentle hug. “I know I can be a bit… overbearing sometimes, and I’m sorry for that. I just want the best for you.”

“Thanks Clark.” Kara said, returning the hug.

“Now, you go have a good time on your date. I want to hear all about it when you get back.” And just as Clark said that a knocking came at the door, like he’d planned it. More likely he’d just heard Billy coming.

As Kara moved towards the door to greet Billy she heard Clark call out one last time.

“Love you.” He told her, sounding just as sappy as he always did when he got emotional.

“Love you too.” She returned, smiling over her shoulder as she got to the door.

* * *

“I had a good time.” Kara said, smiling over at where Billy walked besides her. The two had spent the afternoon watching a movie, and then had gone to one of her favorite diners in Metropolis afterwards to eat.

It wasn’t anything special, in fact it was nearly cliche, but she had really enjoyed herself. Billy proved to be a rather good date, he had been attentive, funny, and all around really nice. He’d been a bit uncomfortable once or twice, and Kara had noted a distinct lack of physical affection at the movie, but that was okay. She knew enough about him to know that Billy found stuff like that hard, so she was willing to let him get there on his own terms.

She hoped he felt more comfortable by the time Barry woke up, as he had seemed like a very physical person. She wondered what it would be like to date two people at once. Clark had been supportive about it, and she made a note to talk to him about it later. Maybe he’d have some advice beyond “be careful” and “don’t neglect one of your partners”.

It was worth a try at least.

The conversation was casual as they neared Clark's apartment building. As they walked up the stairs Billy mentioned his possible upcoming adoption, assuming his parents could find some record of Billy’s birthday. He was a bit scared he said, of being made an official part of the Vasquez Family, but at the same time he just couldn’t wait.

It wasn't long before they found themselves at Clark's door. 

“Yeah, this was fun.” Billy agreed. “I kind of wish Barry could have been here though. Or… actually, we may need to talk about how that works? Do we, do we go on dates together? All three of us at once?”

"I have no clue," Kara confessed. "But that's something to figure out on a later day."

“Yeah. Yeah when Barry wakes up, we can talk about all that.” Billy nodded. “Um… do you want to do this again sometime? Maybe something else?”

"I'd love that," she smiled at him.

Billy hesitated, clearly conflicted about something, and then quickly leaned forward and pressed his lips to Kara’s. It was sloppy, clumsy even. The second it was over with Billy was gone, tossing a quick "Good-bye," over his shoulder before disappearing from sight.

“...bye…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Billy Batson will return in: A Black Past, A Hopeful Future.
> 
> There may be a slight delay before the first chapter of the next story, but it will be coming soon. Don't worry if we take a few days off, it'll be here before too long.
> 
> Threats of kidnapping, passionate Spanish, general chit-chat, suggestions, questions, theories, and more are all welcome down in the comments.


End file.
